With the Philadelphia Eagles playing on Minnesota Vikings territory in Super Bowl LII, it would easy for the Vikings faithful to give the Eagles and their fans a harsh welcome to town. Sure, there will be likely be some boos, but there’s one fan who’s organizing a movement to “turn the ultimate cheek.”
Jessica Brennan Leibrock launched a GoFundMe page called “Vikings Brotherly Love” to raise at least $38,000 ($1,000 for every point the Eagles scored against the Vikings in the NFC Championship game) for the Eagles Charitable Foundation, which provides health and education programs to children in the Philadelphia area. Since their inception in 1995, the organization has reached more than 1 million disadvantaged kids.
“…Our Minnesota Vikings just lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 38-7 in a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching loss on the heels of one of the greatest game-winning plays in NFL history,” Leibrock wrote. “It’s a big blow. But we are Vikings fans, we will bounce back! Tomorrow is a new day, next year is a new year, and we will NEVER stop loving our team!
“But on top of that, seeing photos and videos of some Eagles fans bombarding Vikings fans with beer cans, insults and being told by police to leave the game for their protection, that was even more heartbreaking. It would be easy for us to get mad, easy for us to welcome them to our home town with that same level of respect, but that’s NOT us.
“Let’s channel all of this heartbreak and insults and negative energy and turn the ultimate cheek. Let’s welcome the Eagles to our house in two weeks by presenting them with a great big check supporting their charitable foundation.”
At the time of this writing, the campaign has raised more than $12,500.
This comes on the heels of the Vikings fanbase donating more than $175,000 to New Orleans punter Thomas Morestead’s charity, What You Give Will Grow, after the Vikings stunned the Saints in the divisional round of the playoffs. At the tail-end of the fourth quarter, the punter led the charge for bringing his devastated team back out onto the field for the extra point attempt that was needed to officially end the game.
In turn, Morestead decided to funnel the money Vikings fans donated back to Minneapolis Children’s Hospital.
With all this positive news surrounding Minnesota, it’s fair to say Vikings fans will recover quickly from a crushing late season loss.
