49ers superfan tailgates to honor deceased son
SANTA CLARA -- 49ers fans celebrated the playoff win in the rain Saturday evening. The sun peeked through briefly during the game but the storm kept fans wet much of the day.
But the rain couldn't keep them from celebrating.
Before the game started between the 49ers and the Seahawks at Levi's Stadium, thousands of soggy fans enjoyed tailgating parties in the parking lots.
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Among them was superfan Victoria Huaracha. She said it was a nice distraction from her personal grief after losing her middle child, Adrian Quihuiz.
"He's with us all the time. He's in (our hearts), he's watching over us and he's at this game today. He couldn't be here with us but he's here in spirit," Huaracha said.
Quihuiz died Nov. 29, 2022 at the age of 23. He was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder at age 5 and wasn't expected to live past his teen years.
"He was a die-hard Niner fan. We used to tell him he was the mini-Howard Cosell 'cause he knew stats on stats," Huaracha said.
Early in the season when the team was struggling, Quihuiz did not lose faith.
"Every day, he was positive. 'Mom, we've got this, we're going to do this, we're going to go to the Super Bowl,'" Huaracha recalled.
Huaracha said there was no doubt that her son was watching this Wild Card playoff game.
"Up there (in heaven), he's standing and he's walking and he's running and he's cheering and he's yelling 'Niners!' and he's pain-free," Huaracha said.