A little boy from New Richmond has the spirit of a tiger. He's the Bengals biggest, smallest fan and despite a critical condition, he does not let that stop him from rooting on his team.When you're a kid fighting just to feel good, to feel like all the other kids your age, the little things make all the difference."I knew we'd be good but I didn't think we'd be like AFC championship bound or anything like that," River Blank said.So even when the team wasn't selling merchandise and fans weren't jumping on the bandwagon, 10-year-old River Blank was still a huge fan."No, I was just used to it when we kept on losing," Blank said.River Blank has met players and gotten balls signed. Former cornerback Darqueze Dennard even gave him his shoes."This is his focus. Before he even comes downstairs in the morning, he's checking stats," River's mom Amanda Blank said.River Blank was born with infantile scoliosis."When he was 6 months old, about the time he started to sit up, we noticed he kind of sat with a lean," Amanda Blank said. "And about a week later he started casting within a week."For most of his life, he's worn casts — 31 of them so far — to try and straighten his back. The orange and black one is his favorite.River Blank has been through five surgeries and even though he's out of the casts now, the road isn't going to be easy. There are more surgeries and more months in the hospital."He doesn't let it bother him at all," Amanda Blank said. "Seeing him figure it all out makes it easier for us. And we always say there's kids out there who are going through way worse and there are parents who are going through way worse, I feel like we're kind of lucky."But River has a whole lot of Who Dey faith in himself and his hometown team."I think we're gonna win the AFC championship and not just go all the way here for nothing," River Blank said. "Burrow's used to it. He played in the SEC in college and that's louder than Arrowhead."
A little boy from New Richmond has the spirit of a tiger. He's the Bengals biggest, smallest fan and despite a critical condition, he does not let that stop him from rooting on his team.
When you're a kid fighting just to feel good, to feel like all the other kids your age, the little things make all the difference.
"I knew we'd be good but I didn't think we'd be like AFC championship bound or anything like that," River Blank said.
So even when the team wasn't selling merchandise and fans weren't jumping on the bandwagon, 10-year-old River Blank was still a huge fan.
"No, I was just used to it when we kept on losing," Blank said.
River Blank has met players and gotten balls signed. Former cornerback Darqueze Dennard even gave him his shoes.
"This is his focus. Before he even comes downstairs in the morning, he's checking stats," River's mom Amanda Blank said.
River Blank was born with infantile scoliosis.
"When he was 6 months old, about the time he started to sit up, we noticed he kind of sat with a lean," Amanda Blank said. "And about a week later he started casting within a week."
For most of his life, he's worn casts — 31 of them so far — to try and straighten his back. The orange and black one is his favorite.
River Blank has been through five surgeries and even though he's out of the casts now, the road isn't going to be easy. There are more surgeries and more months in the hospital.
"He doesn't let it bother him at all," Amanda Blank said. "Seeing him figure it all out makes it easier for us. And we always say there's kids out there who are going through way worse and there are parents who are going through way worse, I feel like we're kind of lucky."
But River has a whole lot of Who Dey faith in himself and his hometown team.
"I think we're gonna win the AFC championship and not just go all the way here for nothing," River Blank said. "Burrow's used to it. He played in the SEC in college and that's louder than Arrowhead."
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