GREEN BAY (WLUK) — Support is pouring in for a young Packers fan who was denied an autographed football he won last weekend at a 49ers party.
The cell phone video of 14-year-old Joseph De La Rosa being denied the Christian McCaffrey signed football been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook.
The incident happened during a party put on by the 49ers’ fan organization at the Bar on Holmgren Way, ahead of the team’s game against the Packers at Lambeau Field. Organizers picked De La Rosa’s name to win the ball, but decided to choose another name, a 49ers fan, after seeing De La Rosa was wearing Packers gear.
As FOX 11 told you on Monday, the 49ers tried to make things right by sending an autographed helmet from another player. But that wasn’t enough for some people who are now taking matters into their own hands.
De La Rosa, an eighth grader at Green Bay’s Franklin Middle School, has said the experience left him embarrassed and ashamed.
“It pulled at my heart strings,” said Austin Wilson, a 49ers fan from Folsom, California. “What I was seeing was there was pretty unanimous agreement — both on 49ers fans as well as Packers fans — that what happened to Joseph just wasn’t right.”
Wilson saw our story earlier this week about what happened, including that the 49ers were sending De La Rosa a Talanoa Hufanga autographed helmet as a consolation prize for missing out on the McCaffrey ball.
“When you start looking at it, the contest had already dropped the ball — no pun intended,” said Wilson. “The 49ers, I think failed to deliver from my perspective. So who else was going to do something, right? So I decided to be more action oriented. I reached out to FOX 11 News and they put me in contact with you [reporter Ben Krumholz] and just kind of went from there.”
Wilson is sending De La Rosa an autographed McCaffrey football he bought online, providing FOX 11 the order confirmation. Another person, from De Pere, has done the same thing.
“I felt excited and I felt like I can’t believe like he actually cares and wants to send it to me,” said De La Rosa.
FOX 11 asked what he plans to do with the two footballs.
“I’ll probably just keep them,” said De La Rosa. “Keep them in my room.”
The footballs aren’t the only things that will be new to his room. Packers quarterback Jordan Love had someone bring De La Rosa a signed jersey.
“I can’t believe Jordan Love heard it,” said De La Rosa. “I’m going to frame it, up in my room, keep it for life.”
The gifts are special reminders that plenty of good can come from an unfortunate situation.
“I feel really thankful for everyone helping out, having the support,” said De La Rosa. “I hope this never happens to anyone else.”
