This will be a Super Bowl Declan LeBaron won’t soon forget.
Bradley Cooper surprised the 8-year-old Philadelphia Eagles fan from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, with tickets to the big game Feb. 4 on TODAY.
The Oscar-nominated star, who is also an Eagles fan himself, came out while Declan, his parents and brother and sister were being interviewed in order to present him with tickets to the game between the Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, after Declan was featured on the Morning Boost last month.
Declan, who will turn 9 the day before the Super Bowl, went viral last month after he appeared in an Instagram video from social media influencer MDMotivator at a Dollar Tree and was asked to choose between taking $1,000 or a mystery Eagles mascot doll.
He ended up getting the money and tickets to the NFC championship between the Eagles and Washington Commanders. He shared his money with shoppers at the Dollar Tree where he got the tickets.
Declan, who has systemic juvenile arthritis and has been hospitalized 17 times, was discussing how excited he was to be on hand to see the Eagles defeat the Commanders when he explained why he gave away the money, saying on TODAY his teacher had talked about “paying it forward.”
“It also makes me feel good,” he added.
His mom, Jillian, said going to the NFC championship offered a break from the troubles Declan has had.
“For that whole day, we were able to forget about everything he goes through,” she said.
“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.”
Declan, who was wearing the jersey of star Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, then chose the mystery Eagles bird over doing the weather with Dylan Dreyer when Savannah Guthrie gave him the option. After she instructed him to say “Fly Eagles Fly,” Eagles cheerleaders and a pep band walked out while singing and dancing.
A moment later, Cooper raced out onto the set holding oversized tickets.
“You’re going to the Super Bowl, baby! Super Bowl! Let’s go!” he exclaimed, seconds before confetti rained down.
“Are you guys excited to go to the Super Bowl?” Declan was asked.
“Yes!” he replied, with a huge smile splashed across his face.
When Craig Melvin asked if Declan could give his prediction for the score of the game, though, Cooper, who will also be in New Orleans for the Feb. 9 game, playfully stepped in.
“Oh, no! Let’s just take it easy,” he said.