A 96-year-old Boston woman received the surprise of a lifetime when she discovered the French men’s national soccer team had become her neighbors at the Four Seasons Hotel in the Back Bay.
A Chance Encounter
Shirley, a beloved resident of the neighborhood, said she had no idea she would end up meeting the players in town for the World Cup. Her caretaker, Samia, said Shirley has become well known around Back Bay.
The excitement around the hotel grew after the French team arrived to stay there during the tournament. Shirley said the encounter happened unexpectedly while she was eating lunch. “I was having lunch and they came over, and since then, it’s been wonderful to have them here,” she said.
Shirley said team representatives soon invited her to meet the players. “And they said, ‘He would like to meet you.’ I said, ‘I’m glad to meet anybody,’” she recalled. After the visit, Shirley recorded a cellphone video sharing her excitement.
The meeting ended with a memorable gift: A jersey from French star Kylian Mbappé. The team also made her a promise. “[They] told me that if they win, he will sign it, and then it will be worth a lot of money,” she said, laughing.
Original reporting: NBC10 Boston — read the source article.
