In a heartwarming moment that brought tears of joy to onlookers, Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and the entire Lions organization surprised a heroic young fan at practice on Monday. Fifteen-year-old John Agnello, hailing from St. Clair Shores, Michigan, became a local hero when he bravely rescued an elderly woman after she crashed her car into a lake back in July.
The Lions caught wind of Agnello’s courageous act and decided to reward him by inviting him to their practice session. But the surprises didn’t end there, as St. Brown and the team had something extra special in store for the young hero. They presented Agnello and his family with four tickets to Detroit’s season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, along with an autographed No. 14 jersey from St. Brown himself.
Agnello, a humble young man who was simply fishing at Lakefront Park when the accident occurred, recounted the harrowing experience of helping to rescue the driver from the sinking vehicle. “I’m just fishing, know what I mean? Nothing crazy. (Then) I hear a loud noise,” he told Fox 2 Detroit. “So, then I run over there instantly with a neighbor. … We both get in there at the same time, we just both swim to her instantly.”
Despite sustaining cuts on his legs during the rescue, Agnello remained focused on the task at hand. “I couldn’t even feel the cuts because I was so locked in, you know what I mean?” he said of his injuries.
The heartwarming gesture from the Lions and Amon-Ra St. Brown served as a reminder of the impact that athletes and organizations can have on their communities. It was a moment that Agnello and his family will surely never forget, a shining example of the power of sports to bring people together in times of need.