James Valdivia of Modesto became a top San Francisco 49er fan going into Super Bowl Sunday after a video caught fire on TikTok.
Soon after the 49ers erased a 17-point deficit and defeated the Detroit Lions in the NFC championship game, Valdivia’s granddaughter asked him, “Grandpa, what do you want to do for your 90th birthday?”
Dressed in red and gold attire, the 89-year-old veteran replied, “I’m going to go see the 49ers in the Super Bowl!”
The moment was captured in a 10-second video , and Valdivia’s grandson Nathan posted it on TikTok on Jan. 28. The post soon blew up with comments from people supporting the Modesto man’s wish to attend Sunday’s game between the Niners and Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas.
As of Monday night, the post had 359,000 views and 40,000 likes. It’s had nearly 3,500 comments, many from people rooting for the octogenarian to score a Super Bowl LVIII ticket.
People who create a buzz on TikTok tend to be younger. About two-thirds of TikTok users fall between the ages of 18 and 34, according to digital data trackers.