Poor Santa Claus. He probably thought the guitar he brought 10-year-old Parker Humphries — as well as the family trip to Disney World he helped orchestrate — would produce the kid’s best Christmas ever.
Especially since Parker’s favorite musician is the late, great Jimi Hendrix.
But even Santa couldn’t have known — or could he? — what awaited the youngster on Christmas Eve afternoon at the Carolina Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium.
How the Ooltewah Elementary School fifth-grader would wind up being handed a football by Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton, his favorite player, after a Carolina touchdown.
How Parker shouted “War Eagle!” to Cam just before the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn handed him the ball. And how Cam flashed, in Parker’s words, “a gi-normous smile,” then shouted “War Eagle!” right back.