The night was nothing short of magical for Audrey. "I was so anxious and excited for her because she just had the most terrible year," Holly shared. "For someone to show up and to teach her that people do show up for you, it's just been beyond a blessing." Harris didn’t just attend—he made sure Audrey felt like royalty. He covered the cost of her dress, shoes, hair, and makeup, ensuring she had a night to remember. "She just felt like a princess all night," Holly said. “He was so kind and so sweet and just made the entire night so special for her.”
11-yr-old girl faced her first father-daughter dance alone, then an NFL player stepped in
Eagles safety Anthony Harris also paid for Audrey's dress, shoes, hair and makeup for the big event.
Philadelphia Eagles safety Anthony Harris proved that true kindness goes beyond the football field when he stepped in to escort 11-year-old Audrey Soape to her school’s daddy-daughter dance. Audrey had suffered heartbreaking losses in 2021, losing both her father and grandfather, leaving her mother, Holly, unsure of how to make the dance special for her daughter. In a hopeful gesture, she reached out to Harris—Audrey’s favorite NFL player—never expecting a response. To her surprise, Harris didn’t hesitate. "I told him about the situation, and surprisingly he was more than willing to do it," Holly told Fox News. "It happened really fast. He said yes probably about a week before, so it was kind of a whirlwind."
“[I was] just trying to be a human,” Harris told NBC 10 in Philadelphia. “Trying to take off the helmet, trying to take off the cape of what I do professionally and just show some sympathy for that family and try to show some support there.” Audrey couldn't believe Harris was escorting her to the school dance. “A normal player would probably be like ‘I don’t have time for this. I have to be focused for next season or the playoffs,'” said Audrey. “But he took time out of his schedule to take me, so that was pretty special.”
Audrey was nervous about meeting her favorite NFL player but says Harris broke the ice. "I was very nervous because I didn't know what I was going to say," said Audrey. "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." When asked about Harris' dance moves, "They were very good," Audrey says with a laugh. "This sassy, hilarious, beautiful 11-year-old got the surprise of HER LIFE last night when her hero and idol, Philadelphia Eagles Safety, Harris showed up to escort her to a dance she’d been looking forward to!" wrote @Vemberphoto who clicked the pictures. "Sweet moment. She got all dolled up and danced the night away! WHAT A DREAM!!"
Instagram users lauded Harris for making time for the 11-year-old. "Real men show up! This is awesome!! Good things do happen each day because of people like you!🙌🏻 " wrote one user. "My new favorite NFL player! A heartwarming story that says so much about you and your character!" commented one user. Another user added, "That’s so awesome. What an amazing day for that young girl. You are truly one of the few that would actually take time to do this." Harris joined the Eagles after spending six years with the Vikings. When Harris was asked about escorting the little girl, he responded, “You gotta cherish these moments. 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.”
This article originally appeared 2 years ago.
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