Eagles’ WR DeVonta Smith Brings Joy and Support to Fan Fighting Late-stage Cancer
For four years, Theresa Schmus and her mom, Pat, have been fighting the shadow of stage four ovarian cancer. Endless rounds of chemo and long hospital days have taken their toll, but through it all, Pat has never lost her love for Philadelphia sports.
“She’s a diehard,” Theresa said with a smile. “We had a Flyers mailbox growing up. We didn’t even have a number on our house; that was the only distinguishing feature.”
Lately, Pat hasn’t stopped talking about one player in particular: Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith. During one difficult chemo day, she scrolled through reels, smiling at Smith’s game-day outfits. That moment sparked an idea—Theresa’s roommate suggested she reach out to Smith’s fiancée, Mya.
At first, it seemed far-fetched, but Theresa took the chance. “I messaged her asking if there was any way I could get a jersey signed for my mom. Even if I bought one, maybe I could get it to her to sign.”
To her shock, Mya replied within 20 minutes. She asked for Pat’s jersey size and arrived at the hospital with a signed jersey and a card. “I walked downstairs and was in complete shock,” Theresa recalled. “She had a signed jersey and a card; I couldn’t stop thanking her.”
The moment was captured on video and quickly went viral, racking up over 600,000 views on TikTok. But for Pat, it wasn’t about the views—it was about joy. “She’s never had a jersey in her life,” Theresa said. “She was smiling so big, calling everyone. She kept asking, ‘How do I thank them?’ It meant the world. It brought her so much joy.”
And then came another surprise. DeVonta Smith himself decided to help in a bigger way, sending an additional $20,000 to support Pat’s battle with cancer. For a family that has endured so much, it was a lifeline that meant more than words could capture.
Now, Theresa holds onto one more hope—that her mom might meet Smith in person. “Oh my gosh,” she said. “She’d freak out. I really hope so.”
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