It was a gentle, comforting sight last night just outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Fourteen-year-old Will Roberts settled in to watch the Iron Bowl, the Crimson Tide game lighting up the television.
Curled up beside him was Rocky, the family’s rescue dog — loyal, calm, and never far from Will’s side.
The two share a bond that goes deeper than companionship.
Will recently returned home from MD Anderson in Houston, where doctors have been treating him for bone cancer.
Over the course of his fight, Will has endured more than most adults ever will. Doctors removed his left leg from the knee, and later surgically removed cancerous spots from his pelvis and right femur.
Rocky understands loss and resilience, too.
“My stepmother died from cancer in 2023, and that’s when Rocky the rescue dog came into our lives,” Will’s dad, Jason Roberts, shared.
“Rocky already had three legs — he was missing his back right leg. We had no idea then that Will would lose his leg just a year later.”
In a house shaped by grief and courage, the similarities didn’t go unnoticed.
Today, Will and Rocky move through life together just fine. They navigate the house in their own way, adapting, adjusting, and refusing to let what’s missing define what remains.
During the Iron Bowl, Rocky slept through much of the game, content just being near Will.
Will, on the other hand, stayed wide awake — energized, smiling, and cheering on Alabama football, soaking in a few hours of normalcy that cancer can never fully take away.
Soon, Will and his parents will meet with doctors to discuss what comes next in his treatment.
The future holds uncertainty, difficult conversations, and more decisions no family ever wants to face.
But through it all, Rocky will be there.
The three-legged rescue dog with the big heart will continue to stay close, offering quiet comfort, steady presence, and unconditional love.
And Will?
He’s more than okay with that. 😊
Please continue to keep Will and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
Photos courtesy of Jason and Brittney Roberts.
