Teacher tries selling JJ Watt's jersey to raise money for grandpa's funeral — then J.J. reached out

NFL star J.J. Watt once again demonstrated his incredible generosity by helping a fan in need who was struggling to cover her grandfather's funeral expenses. The touching interaction quickly went viral, serving as a heartwarming reminder of the kindness still present in the world. Jennifer Simpson, a teacher, had recently lost her last surviving grandparent and was struggling to afford the funeral. In a creative effort to raise money, she decided to sell some cherished J.J. Watt merchandise—a pair of Reebok shoes and a Texans jersey.

Simpson posted on Twitter, sharing images of her items: “I have a pair of @JJWatt women's edition Reebok shoes, size 9, $60. I've worn them twice. They are great shoes; I'm only selling because we are raising money for my grandpa's funeral. I also have a Watt women's XL Texans jersey for $30. Anyone interested?” Under pressure from the funeral home, which informed her they couldn’t hold the body much longer, Simpson was left with little choice but to reach out in this creative way.

She had tagged the Arizona Cardinals player, who was moved by the post and decided to intervene. "Don't sell your shoes and jersey, we'll help with the funeral. I'm sorry for your loss," tweeted J.J. Watt, also posting a folded hands emoji. Simpson, who had been struggling for two weeks to make the money, was overwhelmed with joy. "I freaking love you man. It's been a hard year for me, and this last month has been hard since the death. I wish I could tell you my story," she wrote.

People praised J.J. Watt for stepping up. "As a Houstonian/Texans fan, I wish I could say I'm surprised, but nope, this is JJ Watt. He's all class and one of the nicest/kindest men in the NFL. My condolences for your loss, may he Rest In Eternal Peace!!!" one user commented. "When we think we can't love you more, you step up, again and again, to make a difference in someone else's life...you are LOVED JJ!!" wrote one user. "This made me cry. Humanity and kindness can be so good and powerful in our saddest moments. You're a kind human, @jjwatt. Thanks for these heartfelt tears," added another.

Simpson had been trying to raise money in all ways possible so she could give her grandfather an honorable send-off. She was selling baked goods and plates on a daily basis to raise money but still didn't have enough to cover the funeral home costs. "I seriously wouldn't be asking for help on a daily basis if we didn't need it. We are going on 2 weeks since the loss, and the funeral home won't hold the body much longer. If you are in the Houston area, I will be doing a bake sale tomorrow," she wrote. "I don't know what else to do. It's been 2 weeks since my grandpa passed and we have yet to raise enough money for his funeral. I'm behind on grad school and will have to cancel my next work trip—which is fine. I'm out every day, selling baked goods and plates, but we need more," she wrote.

The J.J. merchandise was personal to her and she wished it didn't come to this, but she decided to put it up for sale. "Life is tough for some of us. You must not know what it's like to have to sell some of the most valuable things you own to make ends meet," she wrote in response to someone saying they would never sell it. Some pointed out that teachers were heavily underpaid and no teacher should ever not be able to afford a funeral. "America should be a country where a teacher can afford a funeral for their grandparent, but it isn't," wrote one person.

This article originally appeared 2 years ago.