Eagles say they’re playing for the Philly plane crash victim who asked about the Super Bowl and his sister after waking up
“He’s a hero,” wide receiver A.J. Brown said of Trey Howard, the fourth grader who suffered a brain injury. “It’s amazing, man,” added defensive end Brandon Graham.
A.J. Brown said he will play Sunday for Trey Howard, the fourth grader who suffered a brain injury from using his body to shield his sister after last week’s plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia and then woke up after surgery to ask if he missed the Super Bowl.
“He’s a hero,” the Eagles wide receiver said on Wednesday. “Stepping in to save his sister. You can tell he has great parents. He was raised right. For him to wake up and say, ‘Did I miss it?’ It’s crazy. Something of that magnitude takes place and he’s worried about a football game. Of course, we want to do it for him.”
Howard’s father, Andre, told 6abc that he picked up his three children from school last Friday and stopped at Dunkin Donuts on Cottman Avenue. The plane crashed near 6 p.m. and Howard said it sounded like a missile. He soon heard his 10-year-old son telling his sisters to get down. A piece of metal struck Trey Howard’s head and a police officer rushed him to the hospital for emergency brain surgery. The father said his son is recovering.
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“He asked me, ‘Daddy, what’s today?’ I was like, ‘Monday.’ ‘OK, wait. We didn’t play yesterday, did we?’ ‘No, you didn’t miss the Super Bowl,’” Andre Howard said.
Brown said he plans to visit Trey Howard after the big game.
“It’s amazing, man,” said defensive end Brandon Graham. “That’s how much love Philly has for their team. For him, I’m so thankful that he’s OK. It’s like ‘Dang. That’s the first thing he’s thinking about.’ He talked about his sister, too, and that’s what’s up. That’s real love. Now you have to go out there and do the best you can do.”