The Kansas City Chiefs are hosting their first AFC Championship Game on Sunday. Incredibly, a huge fan with a big heart will be seeing his first game at Arrowhead that night.
The Texas plates caught Dave Cochran’s eye.
Chiefs guard Jeff Allen had a tough trip into Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday morning, driving through a winter storm. When his truck got stuck in the snow, Allen and his Texas-plated truck received aid from a stranger named Dave. Allen got out of the snow, onto the field and into the locker room with a decisive 31-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
After the game, Allen tweeted in hopes of identifying Dave beyond his first name. Luckily, social media came through, uncovering that Cochran was the Good Samaritan. As a thank you, Allen gave Cochran three tickets to Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.
“I had to stop,” Cochran said per Kansas City’s NBC affiliate. “I had to stop. I don’t like being in the cold, and I don’t think they would like being in the cold either.”
Cochran, who has long been a Chiefs fan, deserves a break. He’s currently homeless and living in his Chevy Suburban. With the tickets provided by Allen, Cochran plans to take his sister, Felicia, and girlfriend, Alicia.
When reached for comment, the Chiefs said they aren’t planning to further help Cochran’s situation. However, legions of fans and the local NBC station are, with TV anchor Steven Dial leading the way. Additionally, Justin Manford started a GoFundMe page for Cochran at a $10,000 goal. As of Monday morning, 282 people have donated a total of $6,780 in 22 hours. The Eagle Animal Hospital has also stepped up, offering Dave’s dog a free canine checkup at no charge.
Cochran’s story is a study in humanity’s better qualities. A man with every reason to be bitter stopped to help a millionaire — right before his truck, missing multiple windows, ran out of gas. Now the community is rallying behind him in epic fashion, turning a nice gesture into a potentially life-altering event.