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A.J. Brown Fulfills Heartwarming Promise to Young Eagles Fan Injured in Plane Crash

This is what it's all about.

Eva Geitheim

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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A.J. Brown has followed through on his word.

Ten-year-old Andre "Trey" Howard III was grabbing doughnuts with his dad and two siblings on Jan. 31 when an air ambulance crashed in Northeast Philadelphia. Howard dove to protect his sister and was struck by metal debris in the head, which required emergency brain surgery. When he woke up from that surgery, the first things he asked about were if he saved his sister and if he missed his beloved Eagles play in the Super Bowl.

Prior to the Super Bowl, Brown promised he would visit Howard in the hospital after the big game. "Speedy recovery! You are a Hero young man! I’m going to come see you when I get back," Brown wrote. "Hopefully with some hardware. Playing for you on Sunday my man."

Brown fulfilled that promise this week by going to visit Howard on Wednesday. Brown even brought the Lombardi Trophy, and facetimed Saquon Barkley while he was there.

The moment meant a ton to Howard and his family. After the visit, Howard's mom, Lala Sayon Hamiel, thanked Brown in a Facebook post.

"Dear AJ Brown, Thank you," she wrote. "Thank you for being a man of your word. By great surprise on this day my son was beyond grateful to meet you. Caught us all by surprise. For Someone “(ANDRE)” my son who usually talk so much, you had him smiling from ear to ear and Mute. I felt his heart pounding through his chest. The amount of love and support you gave being so patience and calling Saquon Barkley for him was beyond appreciated. Thank you for everything and bringing that WIN home for “TRE” the world’s greatest SUPERHERO. From my family to yours I so humbly want to say thank you and we love you and hope and want nothing but the best for yours!!!!"

Brown reposted the pictures and note with a sweet two-word Tweet: "My hero."

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

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