Farrell received a video message from his older brother, Bo, a U.S. Army officer who had been serving in Afghanistan. Bo congratulated the Fighting Irish on the victory and told Matt he looked forward to “being home with you soon — really, really soon.”
MORE: Hall of Fame athletes who served in the U.S. armed forces
It turns out Bo delivered was inside an Edmund P. Joyce Center locker room. He came out to the court, shocking Matt and, well, just watch this beautiful moment.
“I didn’t know he was in here,” Matt said (via the Indianapolis Star). “I just thought he was doing a thing from over there. I thought that’s why (the video) was staticky at first. But when it zoomed out and I saw the locker room, man, it was all she wrote.”
Bo was slated to come home in February, but he said he reached out to the Notre Dame athletic department to coordinate a surprise for Matt. Bo kept his return a secret for two months, but the wait was worth it.
“We don’t ask for much for Christmas anyway,” Matt said, “so this is the best present I’ve ever got.”
