Liverpool football club manager Jurgen Klopp personally invited a 12-year-old fan to meet the players at the club's facility and a video of the meeting has helped spread the festive cheer.
Daire Gorman, the young Irish Liverpool fan, first came into the public's consciousness in September 2023 when footage showed him crying uncontrollably during the "You'll Never Walk Alone" anthem when the Merseyside club met Aston Villa.
This is what it's all about giving young disabled supporters the opportunity to live their dreams and visit Anfield to watch their @LFC heroes. Impossible is nothing but only for those who truly believe. ❤️💚 Daire YNWA pic.twitter.com/SkQfe8FAsj
— Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association (@LiverpoolDSA) September 3, 2023
Footage of the boy was shot by his father and sent to Ted Morris, Liverpool's Community Captain who leads the club's Disabled Supporters Association.
Morris had invited the Gorman family to the game.
He then uploaded the video to X, formerly Twitter, with the permission of the Gormans.
The video has been watched millions of times, and caught the attention of Liverpool manager Klopp.
Gorman, who was born with Crommelin Syndrome, a condition where he was born without arms from his elbow down and without the femur bone in both of his legs, is a wheelchair user.
He describes Liverpool as "his life".
The invitation
Klopp said in a message to Gorman, which saw the boy burst into tears: "I just want to let you know we all saw the video of you at Anfield when you were listening to 'You'll Never Walk Alone'."
"The players and I absolutely love your passion for the club so we want to do something for you to say thank you."
"We are going to invite you and your family to Liverpool to meet the players and watch us train."
via Liverpool FC
Klopp personally accompanied the boy
Footage posted on Christmas Day showed the German manager inviting Gorman and his family to Liverpool's AXA Training Centre earlier in December.
Gorman and his family were there on Dec. 3, having returned to Anfield to watch a thrilling 4-3 victory over Fulham that day.
The boy eventually got to meet some of the players, including Mohamed Salah and his hero Luis Diaz, and watched them train.
via Liverpool FC
Klopp personally pushed the wheelchair Gorman was in and showed the boy around.
Speaking to Gorman in person about his video, Klopp said: "What I really love about it, I'm a bit older but it's similar what you felt in that moment to what I feel in moments."
"This song means a lot to you and it means a lot to me, I could see your emotions."
Gorman said about his experience crying to the anthem: "I hoped and dreamed that I would go to Liverpool... And I got the surprise that me and dad are going to the (September) game and I just couldn't take control of the emotions."
"As soon as ('You'll Never Walk Alone') played, (I had) an emotional breakdown. I tried to sing a couple of words but they couldn't come out of my mouth."
Klopp also told Gorman: "This club is all about the people and the supporters, and you are one of the most special. I watched the video again this morning and I sat there and thought, 'Oh my god'. Life without emotions... imagine that."
In response to the entire experience, Gorman said: "It's been a magical day. Meeting Klopp and meeting Diaz, my hero. I don't know how to put it into words. Mo [Salah] came by to say 'hello'."
"I'm just so grateful for it all and I can't believe I came back to Liverpool again to do all this."
All media via Liverpool FC