Peyton Manning lifted the spirits of a grieving family Tuesday, sending a birthday gift to one of his fans in Indiana who was killed earlier this year by a drunk driver.
Logan Brown, 15, was killed in March in a head-on collision with another car driven by a man whose blood alcohol content was four times the legal limit. Gayle Ricketts, Brown's grandmother, later wrote to Manning to share her grandson's story.
"As a grandmother, I felt like I should let Peyton know this young man idolized him and what he meant in his life," Ricketts told WFIE-TV in Evansville.
On Tuesday, which would have been Brown's 16th birthday, a package came in the mail from Manning. Inside was a handwritten letter and an autographed photo of Manning with "In memory of Logan Allen Brown" and the Denver Broncos quarterback's signature on it.
"It blew me away," Ricketts told WFIE-TV. "I called Charles [Brown, Logan's father] when the letter came. I didn't even open it. I called Charles to come over. I said the Broncos answered me."
The family had taken Logan Brown to an Indianapolis Colts game when he was younger and had planned a trip to see Manning play with the Broncos before the teen's fatal accident.
Manning's gesture was inspirational for Logan Brown's family and one they won't forget.
"And I know Logan is up there looking down. He's smiling. I think he will be happy," Ricketts told WFIE-TV.