NEW ORLEANS — We have a heartwarming update to a story we told you about earlier this week.
According to our partners at NOLA.com, the Saints were good on their plans and have sent the Harper family a signed Drew Brees jersey, after their son's jersey was lost during Sunday's game against the 49ers in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The family are season ticket holders. Every game they attend, they bring the jersey of their beloved son, Bobby Harper, who died in a car crash last year.
Bobby was a devoted Saints fan and his family places his jersey on his seat for every home game. However, it was misplaced last week.
The story gained a lot of attention and caught the eye of the team, who gave the family a jersey, autographed by Brees on Wednesday.
The shock of his loss hit his family hard. The Saints traditions became part of Bobby’s end-of-life celebrations. They hosted a Saints tailgate at their home for his memorial. Bobby’s ashes are in a Saints urn.
“There'll be times I hold onto it,” said mother Jennifer Harper. “I clutch it to my chest, I put it in front of me cheering.”
Jennifer Harper says she remembers packing up the jersey and putting it in her clear plastic bag before leaving the stadium Sunday. When the family got to the car, they realized it was gone.
“I think and assume someone took it out of the bag,” said Bobby Harper Sr. “It was an easy pick, they probably took it for a souvenir.”
The family believes the jersey could have been taken somewhere near their seats in Section 119 rows 13 and 14. The Drew Brees jersey was an extra-large. They say if someone would like to return the jersey, they can send it to WWL-TV.
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