Bone Cancer Patient, Markell Gregoire, Announces Saints Pick of Kenny Vaccaro

The usual manic pace of the NFL draft paused for a beautiful moment when the New Orleans Saints had a young bone cancer patient named Markell Gregoire announce their pick of Texas' Kenny Vaccaro. 

As New Orleans reported, the 16th pick of the night would go to a talented safety who will hopefully entertain Saints fans for years. 

However, it was the young man who announced the pick who stole the show, via the Saints' Twitter feed. 

Of course, fans and analysts alike were touched by the gesture from the franchise. 

"

Good job @nfl - made a kid's day with letting Markel announce the Saints pick @stjuderesearch

— Jack Hutchinson (@saintballa11) April 26, 2013"

NOLA.com has far more on Gregoire, who brought easily the best moment of the night's proceedings. Per its report, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the NFL have a program that picks one young fan from the hospital to announce a selection. 

This year, the duty went to the 13-year-old from Iberia Parish who has Osteosarcoma, which is a type of bone cancer.

As for the pick, Gregoire provided the very start of Vaccaro's career—a young man who holds strong ties to his family and religion. 

He explained a number of his tattoos, ink that he considers very carefully before getting, to TexasSports.com in 2011.

"

The majority of my tattoos are Christian and family based. My first one I got when I was 17 years old [on my upper right arm] for my father who passed away two years before. It is a cross with the words "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."

"

This is also a player who sacrificed an early departure for the NFL so that he could work on his game and help his fellow teammates, via The Daily Texan. 

I like to think a player like Vaccaro would rather appreciate having a truly special young man begin what Saints fans hope is a long and fruitful career. 

The draft is all about the future. But for one moment, the room stood still to appreciate a wonderful moment in the present. 

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