Brandon Weeden stood on Valentine’s Day before a crowd in a meeting room at the Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center — in front of a crimson and cream backdrop, no less — and got choked up.

This always seems to happen when the former Oklahoma State star quarterback talks about Gavin Kuykendall, an energetic 7-year-old boy sitting in a chair about 10 feet away and proudly wearing a Cleveland Browns jersey with Weeden’s name on the back.

Underneath, Gavin’s got a pacemaker in his chest, the result of the most recent of four heart surgeries he underwent as a newborn, toddler and young child.

Minutes later, Gavin would tell the crowd that Weeden was his best friend.