When former Edmonton Elks defensive back Aaron Grymes was sidelined because of a knee injury in the 2023 CFL season, he had a special fan in his corner there to cheer him on and help him through.
To say eight-year-old Jace Nerbas is Grymes’ biggest fan would be an understatement.
Nerbas’ passion is football and the pair met during a Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation fundraiser Cleats of Strength.
Nerbas was chosen to design a pair of cleats for an Elks player, which would eventually be auctioned off in support of the hospital.
“Aaron walked through the door that day and was Jace’s player and the two of them have literally been best friends since that moment,” said Jace’s mom, Whitney Nerbas.
“They are just two peas in a pod.”
The pair have formed a close bond over the past six months — something neither the family or Grymes expected.
“We goof around sometimes and we talk together lots,” said Jace.
Jace is a Stollery kid. His family first learned something was wrong when his mom was still pregnant.
Since then he’s battled a barrage of complex health issues: from having his kidney removed to most recently having trouble with his legs. He had to have both of them casted for weeks.
“It actually cut his football season short,” mom Whitney Nerbas said. “Last week was his first week since October that he got to go running and sprinting.”
That was devastating for a child whose life revolves around the sport. While he’s been going through it though, he’s had Grymes in his corner.
“Every appointment that we have had since the day he met Aaron, Aaron is his first contact,” she said.
The staff at the Stollery Children’s Hospital have also been there every step of the way.
Grymes and Nerbas even have their own team name, combining their names and football numbers to create “Team Ace 365.”
They’ve played a lot of football together, attended Elks’ home games, and tailgated as a team.
Both have leaned on each other through their leg injuries.
“To know what he’s going through at such a young age, but he’s still looking on the brighter side,” Aaron Grymes told Global News. “Sometimes it’s easy to be like ‘Oh why me?’ but then you look at somebody else and honestly it’s inspiring.”
Grymes spent eight seasons (2013-15, 2017-18, 2021-23) with Edmonton. He appeared in 79 career games, registering 240 tackles, 19 special-teams tackles and 12 interceptions and in 2015 helped the franchise win the Grey Cup.
He spent the ’16 season with the Philadelphia Eagles and in 2019 was a member of the B.C. Lions.
The two-day Corus Radiothon in support of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation runs Thursday and Friday.
To donate to the children’s hospital you can call 780-407-5437 or visit the Stollery Children’s Hospital’s website.
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