Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly has already gone through so much in his 54 years on this earth. Now, he is going through the biggest battle of his life: the battle against cancer.

Kelly has had to deal with so much in his life already. From going to four-straight Super Bowls and losing all four, then losing his 8-year old son Hunter to Krabbe disease, and taking part in a bear hunting trip to Alaska only to have the plane he was flying in crash. Now, he is in his second battle with cancer.

He was diagnosed with upper jaw cancer last June, had part of his jaw removed and was told he was cancer free. Recently, doctors discovered that the cancer has returned and is now spreading.

But Kelly isn’t feeling sorry for himself. He and his family have remained “Kelly Tough” throughout this whole process and have also relied on their faith and prayer to get them through it. He and his family have been very open about his fight, sharing details and pictures through social media and news outlets.

Kelly has also seen an outpouring of support from all over. From Bills fans and other Buffalo sports athletes signing huge get well cards for him, to former teammates and opponents visiting him in the hospital, and current players sending out tweets in support of him, there has been no shortage of support and prayers, and Kelly appreciates it more than ever.

“It makes me feel good that there’s so many people praying for me out there,” Kelly said in an interview with Madison Square Garden Network.

I wasn’t around for the Bills’ glory years— I was born when they were ending. But the stories I’ve heard and the highlights I’ve watched of Kelly are truly amazing. I don’t think there will ever be a bigger sports hero in Buffalo.

A few days after it was announced that Kelly’s cancer had returned, news then broke that Bills owner Ralph Wilson had passed away. Kelly and his family, in the middle of the media spotlight, stepped right up and offered their condolences, almost putting aside the fact that Jim is going through the fight of his life.

That’s just how Kelly is. It’s never been about him, it’s always about others. Even while in New York City for his treatment this past weekend, he left the hospital so that he could take his daughter, Erin, to a New York Knicks game.

“I am definitely not well enough to be here,” Kelly told MSG. “But I brought my daughter and that’s the main thing. I’ll do anything for her, and my wife’s here also.”

Kelly began radiation treatment on Monday and will begin chemotherapy on Wednesday. Let’s all continue to keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers, and remain “Kelly Tough,” just like he and his family is doing. Kelly is not just one of the greatest football players ever, but also one of the greatest human beings Buffalo’s ever seen as well.

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