J.J. Watt Responds To Fan Selling Merch On Twitter To Pay For Funeral

WAUKESHA, WI — After a Twitter user posted on Wednesday night asking if anyone wanted to purchase their J.J. Watt merchandise to help fund a funeral, they woke up the next morning "overwhelmed" by love and support, and with a message from NFL player Watt himself.

The user was selling a women's edition of J.J. Watt Reebok shoes and a jersey from when Watt played for the Texans. The user was asking for $90 for both of the items, and was "only selling because we are raising money for my grandpas funeral," user Jennifer Simpson wrote.

About an hour later, the Waukesha County-native Watt responded to the tweet. Watt now plays football for the Arizona Cardinals.

"Don't sell your shoes and jersey, we'll help with the funeral," Watt wrote back on Twitter. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Thursday, the fan posted another message to Twitter, saying their family is grateful.

"I posted last night trying to sell valuable items to raise money," the Twitter user wrote. "I woke up overwhelmed by the love and support of people who don’t even know my grandpas story."

The account goes by the handle @JSimpson2014. The user's biography mentions the Texans and the Astros.

Watt has been known for kind messages and gestures. In December, he sent a video message to a teen who was recovering from injuries he suffered when a man drove through the Waukesha Christmas Parade, injuring dozens and leaving six dead.

"If we can get a little bit of a smile out of you today or pick you up in any way to lift your spirits, then our mission is accomplished," Watt told the Waukesha teen in the video.