When Miguel Reyes was diagnosed with brain cancer last year, his former teacher -- whom he now refers to as "Aunt Peg" -- gave him some advice.
"I said, 'You need to name that tumor so we can kill it,'" said Peg Kelly. "You know what he named it? Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers. What a stinker!"
According to The Elkhart Truth, the nickname 'Aaron Rodgers' stuck -- and like his Bears, Reyes remains determined to fight and defeat the villain.
Kelly, it's worth noting, is a die-hard Green Bay fan -- and that fact has remained front-and-center for the duration of her relationship with Reyes.
The ninth grader met Kelly in middle school, and while he's now starting high school, she has stayed by his side through his cancer fight.
Nicknamed "Mighty Miguel," Reyes has enjoyed strong support from the community. The family is currently running a GoFundMe to raise money for a service dog that can assist with Reyes' vision problems and seizures -- two side effects of his brain tumors.
Reyes named the German shepherd Hester after his favorite Bears player, Devin Hester.
Now, the NFL season is coinciding with Reyes' eighth and final round of chemotherapy. After 33 separate treatments, the growth of Aaron Rodgers has stopped, which is a great sign for Reyes. But Aaron Rodgers is still causing headaches, seizures and other problems that make daily life a pain -- hopefully for only a little longer.
Bears fans are nodding their heads.
Naturally, it's a season for trash-talk -- and Aunt Peg is happy to dish it out.
"Who names a dog Hester?" she said, according to the Truth. "That's just wrong."
