Devon Still accepts Jimmy V. Perseverance Award on behalf of daughter Leah

Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still accepted the Jimmy V. Perseverance Award on behalf of his daughter, Leah, at the ESPYs on Wednesday.

Leah Still was diagnosed in June 2014 with neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that commonly affects young children. However, in March it was announced that she is cancer-free. (In late May, Leah suffered a setback in her recovery following a stem cell transplant.)

"You know, on TV I look like a hero. I look like I'm saving the day, but honestly, y'all are the real heroes," Devon said. "What I do is easy. I stand in front of people and I tell them your story. But y'all are the ones that are actually battling cancer and going through rounds and rounds of chemo and radiation, and y'all remain with a smile on y'all's faces."

For Leah, it's a well-deserved honor for her courageous fight against cancer.

The 5-year-old couldn't attend the awards ceremony due to a stipulation that demands she avoid the public after undergoing stem cell treatment 60 days ago, Devon said on the ESPYS red carpet.

"Sorry I couldn't be there everybody, but thank you for supporting me while I beat up cancer," Leah said in a video message.

Rousing the crowd with an inspiring speech, Devon was fiercely proud of his daughter.

"Any obstacle that somebody is going through in life and they feel like they've hit rock bottom - don't give up," Still said. "There's always a light at the end of the tunnel. When my daughter was first diagnosed, we had no idea how this battle was going to go. But we kept our mindset positive, and we made it to the end."

Jim Valvano was an outstanding basketball coach for NC State, capturing the NCAA title in 1983 in a historic upset over Houston's Phi Slama Jama. Valvano introduced The V Foundation for Cancer Research at the inaugural ESPY Awards in 1993, and died of cancer the following month.