Friday John Ku – AKA- TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell

Here is today’s good news story courtesy of My Modern Met. Here is the story in its entirety

Photo CBS Austin

NFL Player Surprises 11-Year-Old Fan by Escorting Her to a Daddy-Daughter Dance After Her Dad’s Death

By Arnesia Young on February 14, 2022

Father-daughter dances are special occasions that many young girls eagerly look forward to. And many go on to look back on those nights with cherished memories as they grow older. But for 11-year-old Audrey Soape, who unexpectedly lost both her father and grandfather in 2021, tragedy had soured what would normally be a lovely evening. Nevertheless, when her church announced the upcoming event, the grieving tween’s mom Holly Soape took matters into her own hands. She was determined to find a way her daughter could still attend the dance and have a wonderful time in spite of the heartbreak of losing her father.

The Texas mom took a leap a leap of faith and reached out to Audrey’s favorite football player, Philadelphia Eagles free safety Anthony Harris, to see if he would escort her daughter to the daddy-daughter dance. And, to her surprise, the famous NFL football player said yes. “I just asked if he would be willing to come,” Soape explains. “And he said, ‘Not only will I come, but I want to make sure she feels like a princess.’”

Photo CBS Austin

Now that it’s all said and done, there’s absolutely no doubt that the kind-hearted athlete did just that. In addition to flying into town to be Audrey’s date for the evening, Harris also arranged a professional stylist to do her hair and makeup, scheduled a car to drive her to the appointments and even made sure she got the dress of her dreams. Finally, when the time came, he arrived on her doorstep with a corsage in hand to escort the 11-year-old to the father-daughter dance.

The Soapes were absolutely touched by the NFL player’s selfless gesture, especially after such a tough year. And to make the night that much more special, Harris even took the time to meet Audrey’s younger brother, too. Still, like any other preteen, the young girl admitted that although she was excited, she was also a bit anxious to have such a famous date. “I was very nervous because I didn’t know what I was going to say,” Audrey shared when asked about the evening. “At first, it was kind of awkward because we weren’t talking yet…But then he kind of came up and started talking to me.”

Since the news of Harris’ generosity got out, the story has gone viral all over the internet. But rather than soaking in all the praise, the star athlete has remained humble, saying that he was “just trying to be a human” and show some support for their family during this difficult time. “You gotta cherish these moments,” Harris adds. “You never know how long we have here on this Earth. So, the people that you care about and you love, show support for them.”

For Audrey and her family, the compassion and support Harris showed them without even really knowing them truly meant the world. And in the end, he gave them a night they’ll never forget. “We would all do anything for our kids when we see them suffering,” says Soape. “To know that there are people out there who will be there for your kids and for you, it’s really encouraging. And it sort of turned this horrible tragedy into this triumphant moment.”

The good news here is that no matter how much fame Anthony Harris achieves, this was his finest hour. Today’s John Ku talks about giving.

A Hand by John W. Howell © 2022

Reaching those in need,

Is the greatest of honors . . .

Which defines your grace.

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Published by John W. Howell

I have been working in business for over forty years and now have the time to work in special areas of interest. My passion has always been to create compelling stories of fiction. I have authored six novels and am working on my Seventh. The first novel is still in manuscript form and being utilized as a door stop in the laundry room. The second is a contemporary fiction novel of 89,000 words and is complete and I am currently seeking a publisher. I also write poetry but have not had the guts to share any with anyone. The one time I read a piece to a person their only comment was, “it doesn’t rhyme.” I will continue to write and hopefully my blog, Fiction Favorites at www.johnwhowell.com will provide some entertainment and an interesting thought or two. I live in the Austin area with my wife Molly and an assortment of loving pets.

72 thoughts on “Friday John Ku – AKA- TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News”

  12. Like Staci said, it’s nice to see an athlete in the news for a good reason. What a wonderful gesture – he gave this young girl a night she’ll never forget.

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  13. What a beautiful story, John. Under all the nonsense, I think most people are kind. Stories like this, affirm the best in us. Thank you so much for sharing this sign of hope. I love your haiku — reaching out is the greatest of honors. 😊

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  16. So glad I’m taking time to visit a few blogs this morning, and that I stopped by here! This is a lovely story, John, and a great reminder that there are still good, kind, caring, and generous souls out there! Thank you so much for sharing. 😀

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  17. What a great, feel-good story, John! I hadn’t heard this one, and I find myself smiling over it. You’ve got to admire someone who takes time (and money) to make somebody else feel so special — and what a wonderful memory they both made!

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  19. Well, this beautiful story brought me to tears, John. How wonderful for this family who suffers through the stages of grieving. Thank you for sharing. It affords hope that kindness still exists.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Yanno Boss? You’re really, really good at finding these good news stories for Fridays. And this one is your latest gem. Bravo to Mr. Harris for being a champion off the field, which no matter what the pundits say, matters more than anything in the grand scheme of things. Thank you for shining a light on a moment and the man who made it happen.

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  32. That’s a beautiful story, John. Although I live here in Eagles country, I hadn’t heard it. I’m going to tell my son who’s a big fan. Thanks for sharing it – what a wonderful thing for Anthony Davis to do 🙂

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  34. John, how did I survive before I discovered these happy posts of yours? The part about this being the football player’s finest moment is so true. Well done for finding this. And you make haikus seem so easy. I saw a tv character wearing a shirt that said (roughly, I’m not going to count syllables to be sure I have it right):
    Haikus are easy.
    But they don’t always make sense.
    Refrigerator.

    Liked by 1 person

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