10/28/2026
Jets WR Garrett Wilson had no idea that a teenage fan he hugged and spent time with was grieving the su***de of her best friend, but that simple interaction reportedly helped change her life.
High school senior Riley Driskill had been struggling since September 10, when her best friend, Jax, died by su***de. Jax had also lost his mother to su***de less than two years earlier.
Riley became withdrawn, struggled to sleep and stopped regularly attending school.
During the Jets' October 3rd game against the Bears, Wilson greeted Riley with a hug, talked with her and signed her jersey, completely unaware of what she'd been going through.
Following the encounter, Riley began returning to school, reconnecting with friends and even thinking about college again.
Her mother described the impact: “It brought life back into her.”
Wilson only learned afterward just how much that brief interaction had meant.
Sometimes the smallest gestures can make a difference ❤️🙏
