Martin's eyes suggested he didn't quite believe it, even when he heard Peyton Manning say, "Omaha."
This was not a prank, nor some voice impostor. Peyton Manning was on the phone.
"Martin, it's Peyton Manning, it's nice to talk to you," Manning said.
Through his own charity work and children's hospital in Indianapolis, Manning's impact extends far beyond the norm of a pro jock, and with this one call he made a difference that he will likely never fully appreciate.
Martin Howe, 18, of Portland, Ore., has about two to three weeks to live.
Howe was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma last September. Although the oncologist originally told Martin that "it was a chip shot," the treatments did not work as planned. On March 20, he was released from Portland's Oregon Health Sciences hospital after the doctors told him there was nothing else they could do.
He had been quite withdrawn since the news was delivered, until Manning called.
On Saturday evening, a mutual friend contacted me to see if there was any way Manning could talk to him. One email to the Broncos' PR director Patrick Smyth later, a call was arranged.
The future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback was contacted on Sunday morning about Martin, and he called that evening. On his own birthday.
"We had about 100 people over the day before and he was exhausted," said his stepfather, Justin. "For him to muster up the energy to be able to take that call, it was priceless."
One of Martin's relatives said, "This is literally the best thing that will have happened to him in 18 years on the planet."
Martin recently graduated from high school, with a 3.9 grade point average, complete with a ceremony in his Portland home.
Before that call, relatives said Martin had been quite withdrawn. Since learning the last diagnosis, he had been quiet.
One of Martin's last wishes is to return to Denver, where he and his family had vacationed previously, which included attending Broncos' games. On Monday, the family relocated to Denver.
