ROY — Roy senior Baby Tee Etuati is one of the best running backs in the state. He played a big role in leading the Royals to the Class 4A state championship game a year ago at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the Royals' best season in school history.

"Baby Tee's strong; real strong," said Tofili Eteuati, Baby Tee's father. "Physically, emotionally, spiritually, he's strong. Real strong."

Five-year-old Cannon Wardleigh is Baby Tee's biggest fan. Wearing an oversized Roy jersey with Baby Tee's number, the pint-sized superfan can be found screaming and cheering at every Royals game.

"Cannon is full of life," his mother, Charity Wardleigh, said. "He loves life and he loves sports. But Cannon has some speech issues. He has never had much confidence, and he's always struggled while thinking that people would not understand what he would say."

Both Baby Tee and Cannon have struck up an unlikely friendship. The duo, separated by 12 years of life, have been there for each other, both on the field and off it.

Attending Roy football games has given Cannon a way to express himself without using words. He is always among the first fans to give players a high five as they enter the field on Friday nights.

"I think he kind of felt like he could hide behind the high fives," Charity said. "It's really helped him, because the players don't treat him any different. They'll high five him whether he can sit and talk to them or not."

The connection to the Royals has given the young fan a new lease on life.

"Every morning, he'll wake up and go to school and come home because he knows he's going to watch a Baby Tee football game on Friday nights," Cannon's father, Jeff Wardleigh, said.

At last year's state final, Cannon received the gift of a lifetime: He got to meet his hero on the football field. Tofili Eteuati gave Cannon and his father a sideline pass, and the two met Baby Tee after the Royals had just lost the championship game.

Even though the star running back was reeling from the heartbreaking loss, he talked with Cannon and took several photos with him. Cannon was elated that his hero would take the time to talk to him.

"It makes me happy to see him at halftime, calling my name and calling other kids on the team," Baby Tee said. "It just makes me so happy."

Baby Tee then took off his jersey and gave him an authentic Roy High jersey after the state championship. Cannon took it home and wore it for several days.

"He couldn't believe that he had a Baby Tee jersey," Charity said. "He just loved it."

Since then, the two have become fast friends — a friendship that has helped Baby Tee deal with more tragedy than a 17-year-old should ever have to bear.

Two years ago, his mother Tina passed away. Six months ago, he lost his older brother, TJ. By his side at the funeral was his new little friend.

"When Baby Tee's brother passed away, Cannon just wanted to give him a hug," Charity said. "We stopped by their house, Cannon gave him a picture he drew of Cannon, Baby Tee and TJ playing football, and gave him a hug.

"From that point on, their friendship has blossomed. Baby Tee has always treated Cannon so well. Cannon looks up to him," she said.

The relationship has been reciprocal.

"Having him at the funeral, it meant a lot," Baby Tee said.

Cannon briefly met Baby Tee and his brother, Tee Jay, after the football season. Cannon saw Baby Tee at a local gas station, and — overcome with emotion — he just repeated "Hi Baby Tee" over seven minutes.

His brother was laughing, but Baby Tee responded to Cannon every time.

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Late Wednesday night a little more than one day before his game, 15-year-old "Baby" Tee Eteuati's mother unexpectedly died of a heart attack after experiencing cold-like symptoms for some time before. Baby Tee was told by his coach that his mother was headed to the hospital. Hours later, she passed away. While many expected him to sit out of Friday's game, the teen came and played his part, and the community showed their love for him.

"Baby Tee is blessed with that, that someone like Cannon has come into his life," the young football player's father said. "It could be a blessing from his mother or his brother. It could be a blessing from God to watch over him.

"The kid wants to be like him."

Football has brought this pair together, an unlikely friendship that is having a tremendous impact on both of their lives.

"I think he is always going to have somebody to look up to who is a good role model for him," Charity Wardleigh said of Cannon's relationship with Baby Tee. "I think that this friendship will continue. I think it will make Cannon want to be a better person, to try hard and be successful at what he does."

Cannon is also starting to understand the most important things in life: relationships.

"If Baby Tee is helping him to know life, he's helping Baby Tee to understand life," Tofili Eteuati said.

When asked to describe his new friend, Baby Tee looked down on Cannon sitting next him, then looked up and said just two words.

"He's awesome," he said.

Contributing: Sean Walker

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