Mott's Children's Hospital patients supporting Aidan Hutchinson might make you tear up

Everyone in Michigan is pulling for injured Detroit Lions star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson after he broke his leg Sunday during a win against the Dallas Cowboys — even the children at the C.S. Mott's Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor facing serious health issues themselves.

On Tuesday, the children's hospital released a video with messages of support for Hutchinson, who had surgery on a broken tibia and fibula Sunday evening in the Dallas area before returning to Michigan.

Hutchinson, a Michigan Wolverines and Dearborn Divine Child graduate, has been a long supporter of Mott's Children's Hospital, dating back to his college days.

The children he has supported repaid the favor with supporting messages of their own.

In the 43-second video, the kids are shown with clear water jugs with "Hutch" written across. Hutchinson would carry around a large plastic water jug a lot of the time, and made it a habit to write the kids' names he visited in the past on a jug before games.

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Some of the messages included:

• "We love you, Hutch."
• "Alright, Hutch. Let's push through and rise from the ashes."
• "I hope you feel better, Hutch."
• "You were here for me and now I am here for you. I hope everything goes well."

Hutchinson broke bones in his lower left leg in the third quarter of the Lions' 47-9 demolition of the Cowboys in Arlington, Texas last weekend during a sack. He immediately had an aircast placed over his leg, and was taken to a local Dallas-area hospital for immediate surgery.

He is expected to be out for 4-to-6 months, missing the rest of the 2024 NFL season .

Hutchinson led the NFL with 7½ sacks and had 45 pressures recorded through five games in the makings of a potential Defensive Player of the Year campaign.

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press covering the city's professional teams, the state's two flagship universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22 , and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mott's Children's Hospital patients supporting Aidan Hutchinson might make you tear up