DENVER — An act of kindness by Peyton Manning towards Kari Bollig, a Rock Springs woman suffering from cancer, is drawing big attention locally and around the globe.

In an open letter to Peyton Manning Kari’s friend Dana Benbow, who writes for the Indianapolis Star, thanked the Manning for flying Kari Barnett Bollig to the Sunday game against the Ravens and meeting with her and her husband of 12 years, Ed who according to media reports lost his first wife to breast cancer.

Dana and Kari grew up in the same town and go back a long way, “Kari grew up in Greenfield right across the street from my family. She was best friends with my older sister, Lisa Bauer. By association, she became my best friend, too, or at least I wanted her to be.”

Dana said they lost touch with each other over the years before reconnecting through Facebook.

The news of Kari’s diagnosis and struggle against the disease reached Dana and for a while it looked like the worst was behind Kari.

“Everything looked really good until 2013, when I thought I had pulled a muscle in my back and it never healed up and never went away,” Kari said according to the letter.

“This was no pulled muscle. This was news that changed Kari’s life.” Kari’s condition had become terminal. “The cancer is stage 4, the worst stage breast cancer can be. It has spread throughout Kari’s bones and into her lungs.” Dana wrote.

A portion of Dana’s letter, read the full letter here.

“There’s not a whole lot, they can slow it down, but there’s not a whole lot they can do,” said Kari, 45, who now lives in Rock Springs, Wyoming.

So, as people often do in devastating situations like these, they started telling Kari to cross things off her bucket list. But Kari didn’t have a bucket list. The fiery redhead has lived a full life.

But she did have some letters she wanted to write, to send to people who have meant something to her, who have made a difference in her life. They weren’t supposed to be celebrity-type letters. She wrote them to school teachers and friends and family. But she did want to write one to you, Peyton.

“I have followed Peyton Manning forever, especially being an Indiana girl,” she said. “I just thought, ‘Well shoot. I’m going to write him a letter and tell him how much he inspires me, not just because he’s a football player, but for what he does off the field.

“It was very personal. It was very heartfelt and I never thought anything of it other than I wrote it and sent it,” she said. “I didn’t even know he would get it.” — Dana Hunsinger Benbow

In the end Dana expressed her deep gratitude towards the act of kindness by Manning.

“I’m glad she mailed your letter. I heard what you did for her, as you were leaving her Saturday at the stadium. I heard you leaned in for one of those awkward guy hugs. You said quietly to her as you pulled away: “Keep fighting, Kari. I’ll be praying for you.” Thank you, Peyton Manning, for doing what you did. We’re all hoping those prayers work.”