Good Sports: Fresno family receives football trip of a lifetime

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Samantha Reyes is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan. The Fresno native leaves no doubt as to who her favorite football team.

"To the Philadelphia Eagles, this story. My story, starts back in February of 1963 in Philadelphia," said Reyes in a letter written to her favorite team.

Her father Vince grew up loving every Philadelphia sports franchise and eventually passed on that passion to his family.

"Trying to sleep in on a Sunday was never a possibility growing up," said Vanessa Reyes, Samantha's sister.

"There were times that if his team was losing and he was so upset and so loud that I would leave the room," added Melody Reyes, Samantha's mother.

Sundays would never be the same after Vince began to feel heaviness in his chest and shortness of breath in February of 2014. He was diagnosed with stage four non-smokers lung cancer.

Samantha support for her dad's beloved Eagles prompted her to write a letter to her dad to tell their story.

"Sundays in our house weren't meant for church. Better yet the NFL. We always prayed to the football gods," she wrote.

A lengthy letter sent with pictures of Samantha and her dad were received by a team employee and a follow-up call offering tickets and field passes to the home playoff game.

"When I talked to her on the phone she said normally letters get put in a stack and for some reason, it made it to her and she has the type of bond with her dad and that it was just something that was meant to happen," said Reyes.

Samantha, her mom and two of her sisters got the opportunity of a lifetime to catch a playoff game in Philadelphia.

"It was just amazing to walk up to that park and get to do something he never got to do. That's all I could think about," said Melody.

"There's not even a certain type of emotion. I think I experienced every time of emotion that night," added Samantha.

Ending in elation with a last-second victory for the Eagles over the Falcons.

"Thank you doesn't go far enough, it's something that I'm going to cherish for the rest of my life and really do consider it to be the best day of my life so far," said Samantha.