Bradley Cooper surprises viral Eagles fan with Super Bowl tickets on ‘Today’ show
Bradley Cooper surprised eight-year-old Eagles fan Declan LeBaron with Super Bowl tickets on the ‘Today’ show
Actor Bradley Cooper, a lifelong Eagles fan and Jenkintown native, surprised eight-year-old Declan LeBaron with Super Bowl tickets on the Today show, where his story was shared after the young fan went viral last week.
LeBaron has been in and out of hospitals while battling systemic juvenile arthritis. Despite 17 different hospitalizations, LeBaron said had one dream: to attend an Eagles football game.
That dream recently came true thanks to social media personality Zachery Dereniowski, also known as MDMotivator. But the young Eagles fan went viral all on his own for an act of kindness that touched many. Dereniowski gave LeBaron the option to choose between a mystery Eagles mascot plushie or $1,000. After choosing the mystery toy, he was surprised with free tickets to the Eagles NFC championship game against the Washington Commanders. LeBaron also ended up getting the money, and that’s when he decided to share it all with other shoppers.
“It’s all free,” LeBaron says in the video as he drops the stack of cash onto the register before going around and handing out money to other “for kindness.”
When asked why he wanted to give the money to others, LeBaron responded, “My teacher was just teaching about paying it forward and it also makes me feel good.”
At the NFC championship game, LeBaron had the ultimate fan experience — meeting players like Saquon Barkley, getting game gloves from Isaiah Rodgers, and briefly meeting Cooper while witnessing the Eagles claim a spot in this year’s Super Bowl.
“For that whole day, we were able to forget about everything he goes through,” said LeBaron’s mother, Jillian. “He’s in pain a lot and has to go to the doctors all the time, and we were able to just live in the moment and enjoy his fairy tale and dream come true.”
Now, just a couple weeks later, Cooper decided to show LeBaron that paying it forward works both ways.
On the Today show Tuesday, LeBaron was presented with two options again: either help Dylan Dreyer report the weather or choose the Eagles mystery mascot plushie. Once again, LeBaron chose the plushie. Confetti rained down, Eagles cheerleaders, and the pep band walked out singing “Fly Eagles, Fly” and LeBaron was surprised with tickets to Super Bowl LIX.
“You’re going to the Super Bowl, baby! Super Bowl! Let’s go!” Cooper said as he ran out onto the stage to complete the surprise.
The NFL donated five tickets so LeBaron, his parents, and his two siblings can all attend.