LOCKPORT, N.Y. (AP) — Plenty of teenagers have replica jerseys of their favorite NFL player. Tawfiq Baity (ter-FEEK’ BAYE’-tee) had his hand-delivered by his football idol.
New England tight end Rob Gronkowski surprised the 17-year-old junior at Lockport High School outside Buffalo by walking into his history class Tuesday morning and handing him a New England jersey with Gronkowski’s name and No. 87.
Gronkowski is the teen’s favorite player on his favorite team. Gronkowski was accompanied by his brother, Dan, a tight end for the Cleveland Browns. The brothers grew up in the nearby Buffalo suburb of Williamsville.
Baity has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. He came to Gronkowski’s attention after appearing in a “get-well” video Lockport students produced for the player after he broke his arm late last season.
