Long Beach football fans get dream tickets to Super Bowl LII

Little Hector Sandoval and his family were shocked in December when L.A. Rams running back Todd Gurley showed up with two Superbowl tickets. Courtesy photo

Regardless of whether you rooted for the Eagles or the Patriots, it’s hard not to cheer for a courageous 5-year-old who attended the Super Bowl with two heroes, his dad and his favorite football player.

Hector Sandoval, of Long Beach, the boy’s father, is a Rams season ticket holder. According to the L.A. Rams, Hector’s dad had notified them earlier in the year about his son’s medical condition.

Hector’s dad let the Rams know that Little Hector is battling Stage 5 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The young fan had attended a pre-season game but had not been able to attend any other game because of his condition. Little Hector was finally able to attend the Rams final game of the season, according to Rams spokesman Chase Issacs.

Seems that Hector not only has a passion for the L.A. Rams but is enamored, like most young fans, with a favorite player. It turns out that for Little Hector, L.A. Rams standout player Todd Gurley is his absolute favorite football hero.

Gurley had an outstanding season for the L.A. Rams. The native Georgian nearly topped New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady in a neck-in-neck competition for the NFL’s most valuable player award. Gurley finished a close second.

Nevertheless, after the team learned of Hector’s plight from his dad, one can imagine the surprise when Gurley showed up at the Sandoval household six days before Christmas.

The running back carried with him an unbelievable surprise. Gurley showed up with two Super Bowl tickets and expense arrangements. In an instant, Little Hector, and his dad learned they would be the guest of the runner-up MVP, courtesy of Gurley and the L.A. Rams at Super Bowl LII.

The Rams’ spokesman said Hector’s trip was one of five given away by the Rams to Super Bowl LII. With these tickets, the Rams celebrated “Difference Makers,” munities and indivudal fans who have made a difference with every cheer, post and high five shared at NFL games, he said.

This effort is being carried out across the league and aims to recognize NFL fans whose passion, love, and commitment to the game enables progress both on-and-off-the-field, he said.

Little Hector “had a wonderful time,” said a family spokesman Monday, as he and his dad were expected back from Minnesota late Monday. “He was there to take it all in.”

Ironically, Hector, his dad and Gurley all ended up on the same flight from LAX to Minneapolis before the game.