CINCINNATI — On Christmas day, Sammy Stickler gifted his son, Aiden, two tickets to the Bengals final regular-season home game.
The video of the exchange was posted on TikTok and has been seen by nearly a million people.
“We have two tickets to go watch the team play and enjoy the day with other Bengals fans, Love Dad," Sammy said in the video.
Both were visibly emotional in the video.
@thebaldsfc Just the reaction I was hoping for! @Cincinnati Bengals @JazzziTv @John R. (aka Big John) @Shawn Moore #bengals #whodey #whodeynation ♬ original sound - Sammy Stickler
“Just seeing the pure joy on his face was amazing, just his overall reaction, I teared up," Sammy told WCPO.
We met up with the father-son duo before Saturday's game against the Denver Broncos.
Sammy has been a fan since 2001, and even though Aiden attended a game when he was younger, they consider Saturday's game his first.
“I’ve been wanting to go to a game for about my whole life," Aiden said.
The two made sure to soak in the game day experience. They got to watch the Bengals defeat the Broncos in an overtime thriller and they even got to meet star wide receiver Tee Higgins after the game.
Sammy says he's glad the two could share the Christmas gift to create a lasting memory.
"It's one thing I love doing: having experiences with my son," Sammy said. "It's one of the greatest satisfactions I could have."
