In this generic Terminally-Ill-Child-Meets-Sports-Hero story, entitled Terminally ill child has a new friend in Favre, the writer focuses on Favre, but the real hero of the story is the private citizen who made it happen:
When Packers fan Tripp Hardin first read Christine’s letter on Jan. 4, he was instantly moved, but he knew that to get them to the game, he had to act quickly.
He knew that Favre occasionally looked at the message board and answered questions. But the game was less than a week away, and he figured the chances of Favre seeing the letter were “slim to none, with slim walking out the door.”
The Packers frequently allow visits from terminally ill children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, said Cathy Dworak, the team’s manager of community relations. But Christopher’s case was a direct appeal to Favre, so this was his call, not the Packers’.
“Brett decided he wanted to do it,” Dworak said.
Hardin, 45, a financial adviser in Kenosha, is a season ticket holder, and he gave his playoff tickets to the Foppianos. After a busy two days of phone calls to Christine, the Packers’ front office, and his father – who donated his frequent flier miles – Hardin had pulled it off.
This John Q gave up his own tickets and sprung for the flight for the kid and his mother from Texas to Green Bay. Favre? He just showed up and patted the kid on the head.