By Jonathan Lehman/Meredith Ganzman
Meet the bravest cheer captain of the NFL season.
An Indiana eighth grader, who was shot seven times at her middle school, performed with the Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders as their honorary captain -- just six months after surviving the life-changing ordeal.
In addition to the heart-warming cheer routine, Ella Whistler helped perform the national anthem as the Colts faced the Miami Dolphins in front of thousands of fans at Lucas Oil Stadium. (The Colts won their fifth game in a row, 27-24.)
Ella and teacher Jason Seamen were shot at Noblesville West Middle School -- about 30 miles outside of Indianapolis -- in May.
Ella was hit in the face, neck and chest, her family said, and she suffered collapsed lungs and several broken bones.
A 13-year-old boy later admitted to the shooting. Seamen, who was shot three times, was credited with stopping the attack.
The hashtag #EllaStrong certainly proved true on this NFL Sunday.