Please, pray for Herb.

[Phillyfanfrombirth]

http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/ne...l.jsp?id=43101

I've known Herb for about 5 years now, before he was struck by cancer... he's one of our nation's finest, in all respects. He's a patriotic soldier, a family man, and a man of incredible faith and optimism... unfortunately, Herb's second go around with cancer in 4 years is turning out to be too much, and his end is near... he will be leaving behind his wife and 3 kids.

So please count your blessings tonight and remember Herb when you need to remember what faith, patriotism, and family are all about...

An Ode To Herb, A Great Man And Fan
An Ode To Herb, A Great Man And Fan



January 11, 2006


He was just a kid, 6 years old in 1979, sitting in front of a television in his Ohio home and he saw something that would change his life forever: The Philadelphia Eagles were playing the Dallas Cowboys. A football game! The Eagles! He liked it!
"I thought," said Herb Osterhout on Wednesday, "hey, this is alright. That's my team." And so it was. And so it is.

Herb Osterhout said, with voice halting, that he has five days to live, and then when he goes to the next life, he will take the Eagles with him.

Tears are flowing for everyone who has met Herb, either in person or through his time on this web site's Discussion Boards. He is a kind man, a good man, an inspiring man. The father of children ages 7, 5 and 1, the husband to a strong and loving wife, Jess, Herb found out in 2001 that he Stage 3 colon cancer. He was ready to fight. He's an Eagles fan, right!? Eagles fans don't give up.

So Herb fought the good fight. He fought so hard and lived with so much love that the cancer was in remission, and in the summer of 2003 Jess decided on the perfect congratulations gift: She brought Herb to training camp, and that's where we met.


Herb with Donovan McNabb at the NovaCare Complex
He was gaining strength then and was able to observe practice on the sidelines, meet some players, spend time chatting with Troy Vincent. It was a day to remember.

"It's one of the highlights of my life," Herb said. "It was so fun to hang out there with all of those fans and be with the players."

But in 2004, Herb felt a pain in his left side. The news was not good: The doctors found a grapefruit-sized tumor, and intense treatment was ordered. More radiation, four weeks straight. More hospitals. More poking and prodding and praying.

He arranged a trip to Philadelphia in '04 and had a chance to meet Donovan McNabb at the NovaCare Complex. Another highlight. Another Eagles moment. McNabb gave him an autographed jersey, one that will hang in his household forever.

"Jess is just about to get that framed," said Herb.

Now, though, at age 32, Herb is hanging on for his final days. There is so much internal bleeding and the case is beyond treatment.

Still, Herb wants to talk about the Eagles. He loves them, just like you and me and all of those reading these words. He is not crying; instead he is spreading the word of love and life and hope and strength.

"If I can do anything to help other people. If my story helps ..." he says.

So the message is this: Take care of your body. Go to the doctor. Don't ignore anything unusual.

"It hasn't been easy," says Herb, "but I can't tell you how much I feel the love from my friends on the (Discussion) boards. It's Eagles love. It's been so nice, so supportive."

When he dies, we will all lose a friend. What we lose from him in this life, however, we will gain from simply having met such a fine, kind man.

An Eagles fan.

"I'll tell you, Dave," says Herb, "last year broke my heart. We'll be back next year. Even if I'm not here ... I hope they have a seat for me up there."

I know they will, Herb. You'll be watching, no matter what. And many a toast will be made to you, an immortal for all of us.