PFLUGERVILLE, Texas — Father-daughter dances are rites of passage for many young girls, including 11-year-old Audrey Soape of Pflugerville.
But this year's dance was set to be a much more somber occasion. According to The Washington Post, she had lost her father in a tragic accident in March 2021. Her grandfather, who would have been her stand-in date to the dance, died five weeks later.
The Washington Post article states that Audrey still wanted to attend the dance at her local church. So, about a month prior, her mother, Holly Soape, began brainstorming date options for her daughter.
One person came to mind: Anthony Harris, safety for the Philadelphia Eagles.
According to the article, Holly Soape sent an Instagram message to Harris a few days before Christmas, not expecting to hear back.
But Harris replied right away. He told Holly Soape that if the Eagles didn't make the playoffs, he would be open to escorting her daughter to her dance.
The Washington Post states that this wasn't the first time Harris and Holly Soape had corresponded. They had communicated periodically over Instagram since March 2020.
The article states that while Holly Soape and her two children live in Pflugerville now, she is originally from Minnesota and the family are big fans of the Minnesota Vikings. Harris, who played for the Vikings for six seasons before signing with the Eagles last March, is their favorite player.
But despite their periodic conversations, Holly Soape told The Washington Post she never expected to take Harris up on his offer. She just figured it was worth a shot for her daughter's sake.
However, when it became clear in mid-January that the Eagles' season was over, Harris told Holly Soape that he would fly to Texas to accompany Audrey Soape to the father-daughter dance at The Fellowship Church in Round Rock.
He also insisted on buying Audrey Soape a brand-new dress and shoes and arranged for her to get her hair and makeup done.
On Jan. 28, Harris arrived to pick Audrey Soape up for the dance.
"I couldn’t believe that this was happening," Audrey Soape told The Washington Post. "I was nervous and excited to meet him.”
The article states that the pair danced for several hours and even participated in a scavenger hunt.
Later that night, Holly Soape posted on Facebook to share her joy about the whole experience.
"I'm still at a complete loss of words, and I don't think I'll ever really grasp how incredible this night was. Audrey was blessed beyond measure to get escorted to the daddy-daughter dance by her favorite football player, Eagles safety (and former Viking), Anthony Harris," Holly Soape wrote. "From start to finish he made this night unforgettable for her ... What an unforgettable night and one that will live on in us forever."
Britny Eubank on social media: Twitter
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