NFL players may seem menacing and angry on Sundays under their football equipment, but the truth is that most of them are absolute sweethearts. Just take a look at the Philadelphia Eagles safety Anthony Harris, who recently went out of his way to make one of his fans happy.
Audrey Soape, an 11-year-old girl from Pflugerville, Texas, recently experienced a heartbreaking tragedy when she lost both her father and grandfather in a matter of months. In an attempt to cheer her daughter, her mother Holly decided to reach out to Harris, who is Audrey’s favorite player, and ask him if he could step in for a father-daughter dance organized by their local church.
While she never met Harris in person, Holly had some conversations with him through social media over the years. Soape family supported the Minnesota Vikings, where Harris played earlier in his career, and always appreciated the 30-year-old’s efforts on the field. When he signed for the Eagles, they continued to follow his career, and Holly occasionally sent him support messages. To her surprise, Harris would always respond and thank her for the kind words.
Holly didn’t expect much when she asked him to take Audrey to the dance despite having already talked with Harris on previous occasions. However, Harris, raised by a single mother himself, was moved by the little girl’s story and ended up accepting the invitation.
“I just wanted to try to help her cope through that experience without her father being there,” Harris told The Washington Post. “I had people in my life, sometimes complete strangers, that were very supportive of me, so I wanted to do that for her.”
Harris bought Audrey a new dress and shoes and made sure she got a professional hairdo and makeup. He then escorted the young lady to the dance, took part in the activities, and helped her forget about the tough times, at least for one night.