Colton Rahn and Illini, '2nd to none!'

Photo by: Douglas Cottle/CourtesyIt started out as a simple request on Twitter, from a dad hoping to comfort his son before surgery.

It ended up being the feel-good story of the week, complete with a fairy-tale ending — and a lesson in perseverance by a pretty tough 9-year-old.

Jason Rahn posted a plea to fellow Illini fans on Feb. 2, asking them to send messages of support for his son, Colton, 9, who has cerebral palsy. A huge Illini fan, Colton was scheduled for his second eye surgery on Feb. 6 and was "scared to death," according to his dad, who tagged his message "#ColtonCourage" and "#CPWarrior."

Colton wasn't scared of the surgery itself but the fact that he had to go under anesthesia…