The foundation's most recent event was a two-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, with an overnight stay at the resort hotel in West Baden Springs, Ind., for 13 children affected by cancer and their families from throughout the state.

Included in the happy group of more than 70 were two children from Evansville, Phillip Murphy and Brandon Mayes. Both are 9 years old, avid Colts fans, were thrilled to meet Bracket, and romped through Holiday World for hours with grins from ear to ear.

Phillip has neurocytoma, rare ...

His mother, Jennifer Murphy, said Phillip is stable now, but there's up to a 70 percent chance the tumors will grow back. Meanwhile, Jennifer, Phillip and his father, Matt, take life "one day at a time."

She called the trip funded by Brackett's foundation "a nice break."

"Cancer doesn't take a vacation, so this has been a really good time for us," Murphy said.

Phillip, who will be a fourth-grader at Vogel Elementary, was joined at breakfast Friday morning by Brackett at the hotel. They talked about their favorite Holiday World rides and, of course, football.

"Gary is so down to earth," said Jennifer Murphy. "It's like sitting down with a friend. The kids just love him."

As for the two-day getaway, she said, it was "so good to see a genuine smile on Phillip's face; he had a big smile the whole time" as he bounded from one attraction to the next.

In Brandon's case, the excitement started when Brackett left a phone message for him on Thursday, saying he wanted to meet him and "to keep your head up."

Brandon's mom, Danielle Wagoner, said, "He couldn't believe Brackett had called. Brandon was so excited. His friends came over to listen. That's one message we'll be saving."

Brandon has a rare childhood kidney cancer. His diseased kidney was surgically removed last year, and he's undergone a combination of radiation and chemotherapy to fight cancer in his lungs and liver. His condition has improved markedly — a recent CT scan showed just one spot on his lung that doctors think is scar tissue.

He was an honor student at Culver Elementary last year.

"I was happy. I like him," Brandon said about meeting Brackett.

That was evident by how wide his eyes were, and the awe-struck look on his face, as Brackett put his arm around him.

Brandon also was awe-struck by the Holiday World roller coasters — he had never ridden one before, and said that was his favorite part of the park. He left happily clutching an armful of toys and wearing a shirt and hat autographed by Brackett. And his room at home was just painted "Colts blue" by his mom.

When Brackett addressed the families, he simply encouraged them to have a good time.

"We just want to provide you some fun and a chance to get away. We know you go through a lot with the cancer treatments," he said.

A few years ago, in a 17-month span, Brackett lost his father to a heart attack, his mother to a stroke and a brother to leukemia. After giving his brother a bone marrow transplant, Brackett walked through a children's cancer area, which inspired him to create his foundation.

"What's most rewarding for me is seeing the smiles and laughter," said Brackett. "We all have bad days, but think what these kids are going through. When I'm working out, or playing, I draw strength from them. I don't want to let them down.

"The foundation gives me peace of mind. I know it's doing some good. Our coach, Tony Dungy, always tells us to give back to the community."

Brackett believes his family's deaths were for a reason: to get him to go out and help improve the lives of people who are hurting.

Pat Koch, the owner of Holiday World and a cancer survivor of seven years, said, "There's nothing like a child being sick. That's not supposed to happen. So, it's wonderful there are people like Gary who take the time to think about others and to do good things for them."