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Eric Berry surprises football player on 'Ellen'

Posted at 3:37 PM, Apr 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-21 16:37:56-04

Ellen DeGeneres is known for surprising her guests with sloths, gifts and more, but Thursday's episode included a heartwarming surprise — and it happened with help from Chiefs' safety Eric Berry.

Berry, who battled Hodgkin lymphoma throughout 2015 before returning to the field as NFL Comeback Player of the Year, has spoken publicly about his diagnosis and inspired others with his determination to keep going in the face of frightening obstacles.

READ: Eric Berry's healthy return to the Kansas City Chiefs is already impacting kids with illnesses

One of these people was lauded college running back James Conner, whose rising career with the Pittsburgh Panthers hit a devastating road block when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma on Thanksgiving Day 2015.

"A scout came to our room and pulled me out," Berry said on the show, "He said, 'One of the top running backs in the country just found out he has the same cancer that you were diagnosed with, so if you could, just give him a call.' And it started with just a brief conversation."

The two spoke on the phone frequently from that point on, but they had never met in person until Thursday, when DeGeneres surprised Conner, her interviewee, by calling Berry onstage.

The two men shared an emotional hug before sitting down to answer a few more questions about dealing with cancer.

What would they say to others facing similar diagnoses?

"Never limit yourself," Berry said. "It's never about the chemo; it's never about the cancer. It's all about what you're willing to put in to overcome whatever that obstacle is. That's the biggest thing that you're challenged with when you come in contact with any trial or tribulation, is how tough you are mentally to do what you want to do."

Conner has completed 10 of his 12 scheduled chemotherapy treatments and hopes to return to the field in the fall.

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