Colin Dunlap isn’t an athlete in Pittsburgh, but the city’s sports fans know him well. He’s the morning show host on 93.7 The Fan.

His voice booms across the airwaves in a blue collar city that loves their Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins, but unfortunately his 5-year-old daughter, Darren, was diagnosed with leukemia in November.

As Colin fell apart and Darren experienced the reverberations of treatment, Pittsburgh and its athletes stepped up big.

First, Pitt running back James Connor reached out to the family to express his support. He courageously won his own battle with leukemia and offered his story of hope (and a signed jersey) to the Dunlap’s.

The most recent act of support came from hockey legend and cancer survivor Mario Lemieux, who sent Darren a letter. Colin posted it on Twitter this week:

Shortly after Darren was diagnosed, Colin penned a note to his beloved Pittsburgh. Part of it read,

I thank you to the teams in our city — all of whom have sent messages and well-wishes; whether it was a card, call, hospital visit or text, you don’t know how much that has meant to our daughter.

She has become my hero, but her heroes are sports figures. And even as she wrestles with understanding what is afflicting her, it has moved her significantly to understand that Pittsburgh people of such magnitude care about her.

But that’s why I love this place, that’s why I love Pittsburgh. It isn’t cliché or some half-factual truism, but my family has found out over the past week it is 100 percent spot-on: When Pittsburghers sense another in need, they stand up, they step up and they act. We are humbled by every single action. (CBS Pittsburgh)

What a beautiful city.