MILWAUKEE, WI (WIVB)- Former Bills and Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly gave an inspirational speech Saturday night at the Vince Lombardi Award of Excellence Dinner Ball.
He announced Thursday his oral cancer has returned. Kelly has beat cancer twice already.
Kelly was awarded the Vince Lombardi Award of Excellence. The ball was created to honor individuals who “capture the spirit of commitment and the pursuit of excellence.”
In his speech, Kelly said cancer wouldn’t stop him from heading to the event.
“I go ‘Hey, I’m not dead. If I can still go, I’m going!’,”said Kelly. “People talk about my fishing tournament tomorrow and I go ‘Hey, my surgery is not till the end of the month. If the good Lord decides tomorrow’s my day, I’m going out with a fish in one hand, and a cool beer in the other.’”
Kelly underwent surgery for cancer in his upper jaw bone in 2013. In March 2014, he was re-diagnosed with aggressive, spreading cancer. He declared he was cancer-free in Nov. 2014.
The Lombardi Foundation tweeted Saturday, “We cannot say thanks enough to our Award of Excellence Honoree, Jim Kelly. Thanks for fighting, inspiring & showing your strength & resilience to everyone here. Not only do we want to say thanks, but so did a bunch of Jim Kelly’s friends and brothers.”