If you wanted an NFL-related feel-good Christmas story, Julius Peppers is here for you.

Peppers, the Carolina Panthers’ nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year, turned around the holidays for a boy whose life was turned over by Hurricane Florence.

The Panthers got a letter from 12-year-old Derrick Buchanan’s middle-school teacher, explaining that he and his family had been displaced after the hurricane hit their home in Swansboro, North Carolina. He was staying with another family, away from his mother, and traveling an hour each way to go to school. The letter said Buchanan didn’t want to ask for Christmas presents due to the extensive damage to the family home, but he was a big Panthers fan. Perhaps there was something the team could do.

Peppers heard about the story, and surprised Buchanan with a video he watched with his classmates in school, telling him he’d be Peppers’ guest at Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Just watch Buchanan’s reaction to that news:

Derrick Buchanan was displaced by Hurricane Florence. Julius Peppers stepped in to make the 12-year-old's Christmas unforgettable.#WPMOYChallenge + Peppers pic.twitter.com/HX6hVBoTkh — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 24, 2018





Buchanan, who plays football, had never seen a professional football game live, and had never met a football player. In his new Peppers jersey that was sent by the team, he got to do both on Sunday.

And if that wasn’t enough, Peppers gifted Buchanan tickets to Super Bowl LIII.

“Real excited. Happy,” Derrick said in the video produced by the Panthers.

“Best Christmas ever,” his mother Crystal said.

Peppers’ work in helping families affected by Hurricane Florence is the main reason he was nominated by the team for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. Peppers worked with Foundation for the Carolinas and also started the Julius Peppers Hurricane Florence relief fund. He donated $100,000 to the fund and encouraged other NFL players to help out.

Peppers, who has spent most of his fantastic career with the Panthers, has helped a lot of people through that work. But his personal impact for one boy around the holidays is what will warm your heart.

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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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