Former Eagles Star RB Granted Early Release From Prison To Be With His Terminally Ill 8-Year-Old Daughter During Her Final Days
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
A former NFL running back has received an early release from prison. The decision allows him to spend the remaining time with his critically ill daughter. The 8-year-old girl is in palliative care after failed cancer treatments.
Doctors have given her only days or weeks to live. The rare and aggressive form of kidney cancer has progressed rapidly. Family members have fought hard for this opportunity.
Wendell Smallwood Jr. Wins Legal Battle for Family Time
Gloucester County Superior Court Judge Renard Scott approved a motion to withdraw the guilty plea on August 7. The ruling cleared the path for release. Prosecutors sought a stay, but the judge denied it.
The player had been serving an 18-month federal sentence for COVID-related fraud charges. A concurrent state sentence for gun possession also applied. An appeals court ruling on New Jersey’s assault weapons ban provided additional legal grounds for the plea withdrawal.
Attorney Yaron Helmer stressed the urgency of the situation.
“They can’t do anything except make her comfortable now,” said Helmer.
The attorney said the girl has been given days or weeks to live, as she continues to battle cancer.
“This is not just a matter of legal semantics,” he said. “It’s about whether his daughter will hold her dad again.”
Wendell Smallwood Jr. Faces Heartbreaking Family Reality
The daughter, named Mila, received her diagnosis earlier this year. Chemotherapy proved unsuccessful. She is now receiving comfort care only. Visits to the prison had already grown difficult as her condition worsened.
The former running back played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers after a standout college career at West Virginia. He entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick in 2016. Legal troubles later overshadowed his football career.
Supporters have rallied around the family during this difficult period. His wife expressed gratitude for the prayers and assistance. The release offers a chance for final moments together that prison walls had blocked.
