Young Taeden Johnson met Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank during a trip to the Super Bowl, which was held in Tampa over the weekend.
A photo was posted Sunday night on social media that shows Taeden with his arms wrapped around Blank in a big bear hug as mentor and friend, Zac Hendrix, looks on.
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and the NFL surprised the 12-year-old Athens youth just days ago with a trip and two tickets to Sunday’s Super Bowl.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Chip Towers wrote last week about the recent tragedy that struck Taeden, who lost his mother, grandmother and little sister in a fire at the family’s Athens home. The family’s possessions were also destroyed.
Taeden is a big Falcons fan and wants to play professional football in the future.
After hearing his story, Jarrett — with the help of his team and the NFL — not only surprised Taeden via Zoom with the tickets, but encouraged him to continue to work hard in school and believe in himself, according to a press release about the gift.
Back in 2016, Jarrett himself escaped a house fire with other family members and friends, who were gathered for a draft party before he was selected by the Falcons.
The NFL is providing the tickets for the Athens youth, while the Atlanta Falcons are providing transportation and hotel accommodations.
Taeden has received an outpouring of support since the tragic fire, thanks in part to his mentor, University of Georgia graduate Zac Hendrix, who created a GoFundMe page for Taeden’s future and a college fund. As of Monday morning, the effort has raised nearly $300,000 of its $500,000 goal. So far, more than 5,000 people have donated amounts ranging from $10 to $5,000.
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