Every day of training camp, The Redskins Blog will feature a devoted Redskins fan and tell their story.
On Day Three of Redskins training camp, the biggest hero wasn't the player's but a seven-year-old girl currently in remission after battling brain cancer.
At just five-years-old, a little but mighty Redskins fan, Abby Johnson, was diagnosed with brain cancer.
Despite the rain in Richmond, Va., this past weekend, Abby was overjoyed to be watching her favorite team practice.
"Abby is now in remission," said Abby's mom, Lisa. "She finished all of her treatments, surgery, radiation [and] chemo's last year."
Coming to training camp has been a long time waiting for Abby.
"This is the first year of bringing the other three," said Abby's father, David, of bringing all of their children.
Moving from Richmond to Raleigh, N.C., in 2002 has not stopped David from taking his oldest daughter, Ella, to training camp every year it's been in Richmond.
"I moved out of Richmond in '02 but she [Ella] and I have come up, this is our fourth or fifth camp," Dave said. "However many here, we've been here every year."
The Johnson Family started a foundation in honor of Abby to help support families with children battling cancer.
Lisa explained to Redskins.com, "Abby's Army is a nonprofit that we started when our daughter, Abby was diagnosed with brain cancer last year at five and a half," Lisa said. "So it initially started out as just support and then we turned it into a nonprofit and we help kids and families fighting pediatric cancers."
"So this one [Ella] and I came up to camp last year and gave out armbands," David said.
Many Redskins including Chris Thompson, Vernon Davis, Tress Way, Anthony Lanier II, Bashaud Breeland and Su'a Cravens wear an "Abby's Army" armband.
David noted, "Su'a Cravens and Chris Thompson wore them all year."
"We wanted to come up today and see some more of the players and introduce them to Abby," David added.
The Johnsons are hoping to attend their first Redskins game as a family this season. It's been three years since David took Ella to her first game. This was one of David's favorite Redskins memories and he is hoping to share that same experience with Abby.
"We took her [Ella] to the Panthers vs. Redskins game three years ago in FedExField," David said. "I remember when she walked into the stadium, she thought it was an amusement ride and she was asking if it was going to start spinning or take off. It was really cute and then she loved the game… We were in the end zone and it was awesome."
The Johnson Family headed back to Raleigh concluding the morning walkthrough, but the memories made will last forever.
