Philadelphia Eagles safety Anthony Harris became a hero last week when he took an 11-year-old Texas fan to her father-daughter dance.
The girl, Audrey Soape, lost her father and grandfather last year, CBS Philly reports. Soape has been a fan of Harris since his days with the Minnesota Vikings. Her mother decided to take a chance, and see if he would be willing to escort her to the dance.
Once it was clear that Harris’ schedule allowed for it, he agreed to help Soape with her special night.
In talking to NBC10 Philadelphia, Harris said he wanted to “Try to take off the helmet, try to take off the cape of what I do professionally and just show some sympathy for that family and try to show some support there.
Harris told the outlet he knew the family had continued to reach out to him and offer their prayers and support throughout his career, which made him want to “take a little bit of notice” to what the family needed.
Soape told CBS Philly that she was nervous, but also super excited. Soape’s mom, Holly Soape, told the station that a representative from Harris’ foundation contacted her after he agreed to go to the dance, and paid for the girl’s dress, shoes and makeup.
Harris posted photos of the event to his Instagram, showing him and Soape laughing, dancing and generally having a wonderful time.
“All of it was just a fairy tale and amazing,” Holly Soape told CBS Philly.
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