For nearly five decades, Thomas “Tom” Reilly, 72, has been a familiar face in the scarlet and gray sea of Ohio Stadium. From the Woody Hayes era to Ryan Day’s modern dynasty, Reilly has seen it all. Rain, snow, heartbreak, or glory — he was always there, waving his Buckeyes flag and shouting “O-H!” louder than anyone around him.
But earlier this year, life took a difficult turn. Reilly was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder that required extensive and expensive treatment. To afford the care, he had to make a painful choice — selling the season tickets that had been his family’s tradition since 1978.
