T Spencer Fano, fitted from head-to-toe as Mario, and 12-year-old Chaife, dressed in an inflatable sumo wrestling costume, wasted no time hyping up the crowd on the runway in the Kardiac Club at Huntington Bank Field. Amidst the cheers, the two sprinted out from behind the curtains, waving their arms in the air.
Then, an impromptu, playful wrestling match broke out that featured Chaife taking down Fano with more claps from the crowd. Chaife was one of 20 children who have battled or are battling cancer that were a part of the Browns' annual Halloween Fashion Show on Oct. 27.
"I have so many family members that have gone through this," Fano said. "My best friend when we were both 17 passed away from cancer, so it means the world for me to be able to come out here."
The Browns' Halloween Fashion show, in its fifth year, benefits kids served by The Littlest Heroes and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's to celebrate the NFL's Crucial Catch initiative. As a Cleveland-based nonprofit organization, The Littlest Heroes financially and emotionally supports families that have children battling cancer and other illnesses. The organization has made a positive impact on over 10,000 lives across its 21 years of service in the Northeast Ohio area.
"They're two organizations that we love working with," Browns Vice President of Community Relationships Jenner Tekancic said." We have great partnerships with each of them, and they really serve kids and families who need it the most. And we were happy to welcome them for the event."
In partnership with The Littlest Heroes and UH Rainbow, 14 Browns players, including WR KC Concepcion Jr., S Grant Delpit, CB Myles Harden, C Elgton Jenkins, RB Quinshon Judkins, S Donovan McMillon, LB Winston Reid, LB Carson Schwesinger, LS Rex Sunahara, K Andre Szmyt, S Zion Washington, LB Quincy Williams, C Luke Wypler and Fano dressed up in costumes and joined children battling cancer on the runway.
Browns Senior Media Broadcaster Nathan Zegura announced the names of each participant as they made their way down the runway to cheers and applause from the crowd. Each participant struck a pose with the players in their costumes to end their walk.
"It was very fun," Reid said. "I actually got to see some kids that I saw when we went to the hospital two weeks ago. So, when I got to walk with him and his friend, and got meet the families, it was just a fun time."
For Chaife, meeting Fano was a dream come true. The two are both of Pacific Islander descent, which is a big reason that Fano is Chaife's favorite player on the Browns. Chaife had been wanting to meet the Browns for a long time, and before the event he told his mother, Amy Jackson, that he really hoped to meet Fano.
"As Pacific Islanders, it means a lot to have a Pacific Islander on the team and to finally be able to meet him," Jackson said. "It's amazing to have a one-on-one interaction and I thank the players for being able to take the time out for their day to do something like this for kids like my son."
The Browns and UH Rainbow continue to show their dedication to serving children battling unimaginable challenges through their partnership. The Browns raise awareness and funds for cancer research through the NFL's league-wide initiative Crucial Catch, which was established in 2009. Events such as the Halloween Fashion Show highlight the Browns' commitment to that cause, providing children such as Chaife with a night they will always remember.
The fashion show culminated with the chance to trick-or-treat in the Halloween-themed Kardiac Club while players, including Delpit and Judkins, signed autographs and took pictures with attendees.
But as the Kardiac Club slowly cleared out following the conclusion of the event, Fano, still dressed in his Mario costume, stayed to talk with Chaife and his family. The group shared hugs and laughs while Chaife and his family repeatedly thanked Fano for taking the time to talk with them.
"I know what it's like for a lot of families in this building," Fano said. "My family has been one of those families in this building. So, I know how cool it is to be able to have a good time with a lot that they have going on."
