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Troy Polamalu formed a special bond with patients, staff at Children’s Hospital while in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Former Steeler Troy Polamalu couldn’t stop beaming in anticipation for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Game. He wasn’t just excited for himself, but for Steeler nation.

And Steeler nation turned out in Canton, Ohio to cheer on #43 as he took his place in history.

Polamalu’s eyes lit up when he reflected on his Steelers career and his time in Steel City. He smiled when he called himself an “adopted Pittsburgher”. His memories of the Super Bowls and the legends who paved the way are fond. But there was so much more to his time in Pittsburgh, and it was off the football field.

“Honestly, it’s the culture within Pittsburgh to want to give back. So to me, it’s something that was a passion of ours within us, but then it’s something we also learn the skill of how to give back and how to do it correctly,” Polamalu told Channel 11′s Jenna Harner.

One of the most special ways Polamalu gave back to the city of Pittsburgh was through his secret visits to the UPMC Children’s hospital. He would go every Friday, slightly disguised, wearing sweatpants a hoodie and his hair up.

“It was early on in his career and his kids were little or when he didn’t have kids, he could come in and spend hours,” said UPMC Children’s Hospital Child Life Specialist Michael Shulock. “It was unbelievable. You could tell that he just wanted to do things for the families and the patients.”

A portrait of Polamalu hangs on the ninth floor of the hospital, a constant reminder of his visits and an honor to the secret guest who made sick children smile.

Children like Ryder McDermitt. He was diagnosed with AML leukemia before his second birthday. When Polamalu first came to visit him, his family admits they didn’t know who he was. But that changed quickly.

“It was just a special bond that they had,” said Ryder’s mom Karrie. “It wasn’t even about football. It was about him coming in and spending so much quality time, not just with Ryder, but with a lot of those kids.”

Ryder called the bond indescribable.

“Not even one in a billion,” Ryder said. “It’s crazy. I just can’t get over that. I mean, I don’t have words for it.”

Polamalu said it the relationships formed naturally because of personalities and similarities with the children and families.

“To me, if was in that way rewarding, because we were able to authentically form relationships. To me, it was very meaningful to do that,” Polamalu said. “Coming from trauma, I think you understand how important the little things are that you can for people to really assist them. And you always want to be there to help them.”

The McDermitts say the Hall of Famer was simply himself, yet he impacted their families and many others in ways they never could imagined.

“He gave me a bracelet with a bead on it. In his pocket, he keeps a line of beads in there and as the day goes on, he separates those beads, and he has everybody memorized, and he says a prayer for each bead, and he knows which bead belongs to which child or which adult he’s praying for,” said Karrie McDemitt.

Ryder still can’t believe that one of his best friends during one of his worst times was one of the best Steeler of all time, and one of the most selfless, humble and giving people you’ll meet.

“Someone that you didn’t even know or had no clue came into your life, and like, just cared so much. Like, that is amazing. I can’t get through how much he cared,” Ryder said.