Former Iowa football stars coach 4th annual Rally for Reid football camp

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – The Rally for Reid Foundation raises money for pediatric cancer and the foundation held its fourth annual Rally for Reid football camp at Assumption High School.

Reid Gleeson passed away at 5 years old from Medulloblastoma, a type of cancer. After his passing, his family created the Rally for Reid Foundation in their son’s honor.

“Our mission is to provide support for families and children that are impacted by childhood cancer, and to raise funds for pediatric brain tumor research,” Reid’s mom and Executive Director of the Rally for Reid Foundation, Megan Gleeson said.

Former Iowa Hawkeye and LA Rams football player, Jake Gervase, visited Reid in the hospital and was close to him.

“I had the idea that let’s try to throw a football camp together, you know, the Rally for Reid football camp, raise money for your foundation, while also sharing the great game of football to young kids in the Quad Cities and state of Iowa,” Gervase said.

Kids ages kindergarten to eighth grade learned from current NFL and former University of Iowa Hawkeye football players.

“Being able to honor him this way is really special and you know, the game of football is a great way to do that with the connections, teammates and the paths that we have,” Gervase said.

Another former Hawkeye and current Lions player, Ben Niemann, helped Gervase create the Rally for Reid football camp.

“Jake and I actually went over and saw Reid at the hospital,” Niemann said. “So kind of got to meet the family back then, and when this camp popped up, it was a no brainer to get involved.”

Prophetstown native and current Saints player, Jack Heflin says it was an honor for Gervase to ask him to help coach the camp.

“It’s unbelievable,” Heflin said. “It’s a great opportunity to come back and give back to the community, especially being from around the area and getting to know Jake through it and, and Reid’s parents. I mean, it’s just unbelievable organization.”

Megan Gleeson says it means the world to their family to keep doing this for Reid and for other families.

“We’re just overwhelmed by the support that we’ve received from the community, by the support that we’ve received from these camp coaches,” Gleeson said. “I mean, we get some big names every year, and they come out here, they have so much fun with the kids. It’s just so heartwarming to see, you know, when we see a lot of Reid’s friends, a lot of our friends from the area just coming out year after year to support us.”

According to Gleeson, over the last three years, they’ve raised more than $250,000 for the Rally for Reid Foundation.

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