ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – The Arizona Cardinals had a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. A die-hard Seahawks fan from New Mexico was there to witness it all, and his dream came true. It’s a heartwarming story that’s going viral.
Isaac Marquez, 30, has Down syndrome. He loves working at the family business, Pete’s Equipment, on Broadway in Albuquerque.
“He brings joy and happiness to people,” his brother, Pete Marquez Jr. said.
Isaac has a heart of gold.
“He’s totally awesome,” his father, Pete Marquez Sr. said.
Isaac is friendly, fun, and he’s a fan of one sport.
“I like the Seahawks. It’s my team,” he said.
His favorite player is Richard Sherman, No. 25. But Sherman is No. 1 to Isaac.
Isaac scored big Sunday in Phoenix when the Seahawks crushed the Arizona Cardinals, 36-6. Isaac is still pumped. Seeing the NFL gridiron action for the first time, in person, was Isaac’s 30th birthday present.
“All he wanted was a game, wanted to go to a Seattle Seahawks game,” said his father.
But Isaac managed to get the attention of the star cornerback. After warm up, Richard Sherman gave Isaac a football.
“He touched my hand with my football,” Isaac said.
By fate, Isaac and his father watched the game seated next to fellow Seahawks fan Eileen Hively. She and Isaac bonded at the stadium watching the game.
“He just touched my heart,” Eileen said.
Despite Sherman’s reputation in the NFL for some trash talking and for his physical play, Eileen wanted to show what he did for Isaac.
“I wanted people to see a softer side to Richard,” she said. She posted a picture of an elated Isaac with his football on Sherman’s Facebook page that now has more than 50,000 likes.
But that’s not all. Hively helped arrange a free trip for Isaac and his father to go to the Seahawks playoff game Sunday in Minneapolis. They will be reunited again.
“It’s really great to see people would do this for other people. It’s great,” Pete Marquez Sr. said.
Here’s another coincidence. Hively is friends with a member of the Tillery family from Moriarty, New Mexico. They are teaming up to pay for this weekend’s trip.
