10-year-old Forge Martin is a huge Buffalo Bills Bills fan. The empathetic and energetic boy has a dozen Bills jerseys, but recently he received a jersey from a different team that has an invaluable meaning.
Forge received a jersey from Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, who like Forge has parents of the same sex.
“He has two moms, and I have two dads,” said Forge. "It’s good to know that there's somebody out there, like a good football player, and they have the same situation as me."
McBride wrote: "I want you to know it's cool to have same-sex parents. I'm here for you. We are in this together, you have a bright future."
Forge was recorded opening the gift in a video seen more than 12,000 times.
"He cared enough to reach out to somebody he saw himself in, which is pretty powerful," said Corey Martin, Forge's dad.
Forge even got to talk to McBride over the phone, and now looks up to the football player as a role model.
"Trey reached out and connected with Forge, because of that shared common background," said Corey. "He's somebody when you see him, and see how he plays, he's a great player. It doesn't matter that he has great parents, it doesn't matter, because he puts in the work."
"Football is an aggressive sport, but he doesn't run away from his family. He doesn't shy away from his family. He doesn't hide it. He makes it a part of who he is," explained Corey. "That is where we see football making a difference, and welcoming people of different backgrounds."
The family doesn’t live in Western New York but considers Buffalo a second home, and on Sunday they’ll march with the Bills again in the annual Pride Parade.
"The last three years, the Bills have done so much," said Forge's father who he calls Papa.
They'll also be back for the Bills home opener against McBride and the Cardinals. Forge said he will probably wear his Matt Milano Bills jersey...with his new McBride jersey underneath.
"I want the Bills to win 100-28," said Forge. "But Trey scores all those [Cardinals] touchdowns."
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