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Eagles' A.J. Brown -- with the Lombardi Trophy -- visits 10-year-old Philly plane crash victim in hospital

Ariel Simpson, The Philadelphia Inquirer on

Published in Football

PHILADELPHIA — After the Eagles’ dominant 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver A.J. Brown said he would make a special visit to 10-year-old Andre “Tre” Howard III, who was hospitalized with severe head injuries suffered during the Northeast Philadelphia plane crash. On Wednesday, Brown kept his word, making a visit to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Brown came bearing gifts and even surprised the real-life superhero with a call from Saquon Barkley. Andre’s mother, Lashawn “Lala” Hamiel, posted photos of Brown and Andre together from his hospital room on her Facebook page. Howard can be seen wearing a kelly green Brown jersey, an Eagles chain, and a Super Bowl LIX championship hat as they pose with the Lombardi Trophy in front of a table full of Eagles gear.

“Thank you for being a man of your word,” Andre’s mother wrote. “By great surprise on this day my son was beyond grateful to meet you. Caught us all by surprise. For Someone “(ANDRE)” my son who usually talk so much, you had him smiling from ear to ear and mute. I felt his heart pounding through his chest. The amount of love and support you gave being so patient and calling Saquon Barkley for him was beyond appreciated. Thank you for everything and bringing that WIN home for “TRE” the world’s greatest SUPERHERO. From my family to yours I so humbly want to say thank you and we love you and hope and want nothing but the best for yours!!!!”

After Andre was struck in the head by debris from the Jan. 31 plane crash near the Roosevelt Mall, he awoke in the hospital with two questions: Did he save his sister and did he miss the Super Bowl?

While he did save his sister, he hadn’t missed the Super Bowl — he watched that from his room at CHOP on Sunday — and his story inspired several Eagles, including Brown, who said he would play for Howard on Sunday.

 

“Speedy recovery! You are a Hero young man! I’m going to come see you when I get back. Hopefully with some hardware. Playing for you on Sunday my man,” Brown wrote on social media.

Not only did Brown and the Eagles win, but Brown caught a crucial first-half touchdown pass that helped put the game out of reach for the Chiefs. During Brown’s touchdown in the Superdome, Hamiel was back in Philadelphia recording a video of the play while screaming, “This one is for Andre. Let’s go, Andre!”

Although Andre may not be able to attend the parade on Friday, he was able to celebrate the Eagles’ win on Wednesday surrounded by his family, the Lombardi Trophy and Brown himself.


©2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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