Peyton Manning Sends Letter, Gift to Family of 15-Year-Old Fan Killed in Crash

Logan Brown would've celebrated his 16th birthday Tuesday.

A 15-year-old student and football player at Reitz High School in Evansville, Indiana, Brown died in March after a head-on car collision with an accused drunk driver.

A lifelong fan of the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning, Brown had wanted to attend a Denver Broncos game before the quarterback's retirement. After his death, Brown's family reached out to Manning, writing to let the quarterback know what he meant to their son.

Brown's grandmother Gayle Ricketts told WFIE-TV in Evansville (h/t ESPN.com news services) she wrote Manning a letter as a way of sharing her grandson's story.

"As a grandmother, I felt like I should let Peyton know this young man idolized him and what he meant in his life," Ricketts said.

Manning’s response arrived Tuesday, the day of Brown's birthday. Enclosed was a handwritten letter of support for the family and a signed picture for the young man who was once his biggest fan.

"[Peyton's response] blew me away," Ricketts said. "I called Charles [Logan's father] when the letter came. I didn't even open it. I called Charles to come over. I said the Broncos answered me."

The handwritten letter contained Manning's condolences. He wrote that he was fortunate to have had such a special young man as a fan.

Michael Gann, the accused drunk driver who crashed into the car Brown and two friends were traveling in on March 14, has been charged with drunk driving and causing death and serious injury, as well as leaving the scene of an accident for a hit-and-run committed prior to the deadly crash.

Tristatehomepage.com reports Gann faces up to 17 years in jail if found guilty.