Vincent Barbaro, 10-year-old Bears superfan, attended training camp at Halas Hall Tuesday beside his family with the intent of simply watching practice from the stands and hoping to nab one or two player autographs for his mini helmet.
But by the end of the day, the mini helmet's orange hue could barely be seen through the plethora of player signatures that Vincent acquired, including from his favorite players — Jaylon Johnson, Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze.
The experience, which left Vincent equally shocked and overjoyed, held a much deeper meaning to the Barbaro family than a typical player-fan meet-and-greet.
On Jan. 18, two weeks after Vincent and his dad, Joe, experienced an ultimate high by being at Lambeau Field for the Bears' dramatic victory over the Packers in the season finale, the family endured an unimaginable low: Vincent was diagnosed with a brain tumor that would soon require surgery and an extensive recovery period.
Over the course of the next few weeks, Joe wrote to the Bears about Vincent's journey as a way to help cope, specifically citing some of his and his son's favorite Bears memories from the season, including when Vincent convinced his father to purchase him a #1 Johnson jersey when they attended the game against the Patriots in November.
Sharing that story did much more than just help Joe calm his mind. It led to a phone call between Vincent and Johnson, which lasted more than an hour. The pair talked about everything from football to family, and the Bears cornerback ended the call with a powerful prayer that touched the hearts of Joe and his wife, Kristie.
"It's beyond words, because Jaylon really showed up at a time when we were at a very low low, and just knowing that he took his own personal time to do so," Kristie said. "They had just finished the Pro Bowl and Jaylon called us from Florida. He prayed with us, and he was just very personable to us and just gave Vincent hope. When you go from a kid that's really active and excited, to not being not able to walk and in a hospital bed, someone to show up like that really is heartfelt.
"It shows that we're all human."
In six months, Vincent and Johnson went from first seeing each other through phone screens to sharing a special moment in-person while Vincent progresses with his recovery.
Johnson hugged each member of the family — Vincent's older brother and young sister were in attendance as well — and shared emotional moments with Vincent and his parents.
"Vincent and his family are true testaments to courage and endurance," Johnson said. "Not only are they strong to get through and stay together, but they have done it through time. When I had the opportunity to meet him and his family, those traits were evident. I am blessed to be able to meet them and take time to come together with moral support and prayer. Seeing Vincent up on his feet and his family filled with joy today made me really happy."
The Bears have always been a staple in the lives of Vincent and Joe, who refers to his son as the "biggest Bears fan I know." However, the last several months of support from Johnson and the Bears organization have resulted in a newfound fandom from Kristie, who was born and raised in Green Bay.
While the initial call with Johnson created an obvious rooting interest in the Pro Bowl cornerback, the family's training camp experience at Halas Hall gave Kristie a new perspective on the club.
"It's overwhelming," Kristie said. "I wouldn't expect to be met with such love. It's hard to describe in words, but it's been this overwhelming care that you just don't know until you experience it. It is just really special, and I think the biggest thing is, it's for my kid. To see him so happy is everything."
Along with meeting Johnson, Vincent interacted with a plethora of players. He got his No. 18 jersey signed by Williams and took pictures with Odunze, safety Jaquan Brisker and running back Roschon Johnson, among others.
While the experience left Vincent speechless as he and his family made their way off the field and toward the exit gates at Halas Hall, the permanent smile across his face told the story perfectly.
"It was soulful," Joe said. "And to put this all together in person, really humanizes the players beyond football and beyond athletes and beyond superstars. Without getting too soft about it, it really made them people who just care about others beyond the field. Vincent will never forget this moment for as long as he lives and we're going to draw strength out of this experience."
