Leukemia Strikes Aaron Smith's Son

The week before the Steelers-Giants' game, it wasn't clear if Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith would play, although it wasn't clear why. Smith ended up showing up in the Pittsburgh locker room Sunday afternoon, then going out and playing a solid game in the team's 21-14 loss to the Giants. After the game, the rest of the Steelers' team was nearly inconsolable at letting Smith down.

But at the time, it wasn't clear what was going on that led to Smith's absence. Now we know. Smith's five-year-old son Elijah was diagnosed with leukemia that week. It's been something Smith has been dealing with ever since.

"I swear at that moment I wanted to vomit on the floor," Smith said when he was told the diagnosis. "I didn't know anything about leukemia. I just knew it was something bad. It was a death sentence as far as I knew."

If there can be good news attached to the word leukemia, it is that Elijah's form is a very treatable form. He's been undergoing chemotheraphy and steroid treatments that have been going well.

But it does make Smith's solid play even more amazing, as he's been dealing with one of the toughest things any parent could have to deal with, but he just keeps rolling along.