Packers' Davante Adams supports young fan battling childhood-onset schizophrenia

 

GREEN BAY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Packers super fan Tim Hickey was diagnosed with childhood onset schizophrenia when he was just 11 years old. 

Since then, the Door County man has been fighting a constant war against his illness. One of his strongest allies in the battle has been sports.

The Hickeys are a Packer family. Tim glues himself to the TV, looking for number 17.

"Davante is my favorite athlete," he said. "In all of the games, I've been watching him play."

So when he got Davante's jersey, Tim's mom, Chrisa shared his joy on social media. What happened next, is remarkable.

Davante tweeted back words of encouragement. But the Pro Bowler wasn't finished there. When we caught up with him in the Packers locker room, he had a special message just for Tim.

"I'd tell him he's a fighter, man, he's a fighter, and I'm proud of him," Davante Adams said. "To show the strength, flexing like that, doing one of my celebrations, it means a lot to me. I'm looking out for you buddy, I'm praying for you."

Adams and the Packers ultimately fell just short of the Super Bowl, but he's already a champion to the Hickey family.