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Jordan Love, others send gifts to the young Packers fan who didn’t get a football at the 49ers party
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Jordan Love, others send gifts to the young Packers fan who didn’t get a football at the 49ers party

GREEN BAY (WLUK) – Support is pouring in for a young Packers fan who didn’t receive an autographed football he won at a 49ers party last weekend.

The cellphone video of 14-year-old Joseph De La Rosa denying Christian McCaffrey’s football signing has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook.

The incident occurred during a party hosted by the 49ers fan organization at the Bar on Holmgren Way prior to the team’s game against the Packers at Lambeau Field. Organizers chose De La Rosa’s name to win the ball, but decided on a different name, 49ers fan, after seeing De La Rosa wearing Packers gear.

As FOX 11 told you on Monday, the 49ers tried to make things right by sending over another player’s autographed helmet. But that wasn’t enough for some people who are now taking matters into their own hands.

De La Rosa, an eighth-grade student at Franklin Middle School in Green Bay, said the experience embarrassed him.

“It tugged at my heartstrings,” said Austin Wilson, a 49ers fan from Folsom, California. “What I saw was that there was a pretty unanimous agreement — among both 49ers fans and Packers fans — that what happened with Joseph was just not right.”

Wilson saw our story earlier this week about what happened, including the 49ers sending De La Rosa a helmet signed by Talanoa Hufanga as a consolation prize for missing the McCaffrey ball.

“If you look at it, the game has already dropped the ball — no pun intended,” Wilson said. “The 49ers, from my perspective, I don’t think they performed. So who else would do anything, right? That’s why I decided to be more action-oriented. I contacted FOX 11 News and they put me in touch with you (reporter Ben Krumholz) and went from there.

Wilson sends De La Rosa a signed McCaffrey football he bought online and gives FOX 11 the order confirmation. Another person, from De Pere, did the same.

“I felt excited and I felt like I couldn’t believe that he actually cared about it and wanted to send it to me,” De La Rosa said.

FOX 11 asked what he plans to do with the two footballs.

“I’ll probably just keep them,” De La Rosa said. “Keep them in my room.”

The footballs aren’t the only things that will be new in his room. Packers quarterback Jordan Love had someone bring De La Rosa a signed jersey.

“I can’t believe Jordan Love heard it,” De La Rosa said. “I’m going to frame it, in my room, and keep it for life.”

The gifts are a special reminder that much good can come from an unfortunate situation.

“I’m very grateful for everyone who is helping and getting the support,” De La Rosa said. “I hope this never happens to anyone else.”