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Lifelong Detroit Lions fan watches win against Bucs, becomes a dad on the same day
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- Lifelong Detroit Lions fan watches win against Bucs, becomes a dad on the same day
Longtime Detroit Lions fan Keegan Pacic had two dreams: for the Lions to win a playoff game, and for a little lion cub of his own. On Sunday, both of Pacic's wishes came true.
On Jan. 21, 2024, Pacic's first child was born just several hours before the Lions faced off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won, making history and giving the team a shot at the Super Bowl.
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Like his newborn son, Pacic was born with Honolulu Blue in his blood, following in his father's and grandfather's footsteps of supporting the Lions through thick and thin.
Keegan Pacic and his newborn son, Cade Michael Pacic, born on Jan. 21, 2024, the same day that the Detroit Lions won the divisional round of the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
When he and his wife of 4½ years, Kayla, found out that their child was going to be a boy, Pacic pounced at the opportunity to indoctrinate his son into the fandom with Detroit Lions baby apparel — Lions cub apparel, if you will.
Throughout the season and the latter half of Kayla's pregnancy, Pacic joked with his wife that the baby would come early while the Lions were in the playoffs, but at the time, it was only a pipe dream that the Lions would make it that far.
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But then, on Friday night, when Kayla went into labor more than a week before her expected due date, Pacic's teasing became less of a joking matter.
The Pacics spent the weekend at Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, then on Sunday, the day of the big game against the Bucs, Cade Michael Pacic was finally born around 4:30 a.m.
Keegan and Kayla Pacic sit with their newborn son, Cade Michael Pacic, born on Jan. 21, 2024, the same day that the Detroit Lions won the divisional round of the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The new family of Lions fans got settled into a postpartum room, making sure to swaddle the infant in a Lions blanket, just before the game flicked on the TV.
"We had enough time to get accustomed to having a new child then the game came on, so I got his Lions gear on him and mine on me," said Pacic. "Not that his eyes were open yet, but he was present for the game."
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When the Lions won the game, Pacic and his wife were expectedly ecstatic — and even more so that their son was able to experience the team's win during his first day on Earth.
"The fact that when he arrived happened to be on the day of this historic moment for the Lions. … It's been quite the experience," said Pacic. "As much as I would've liked to watch it at home, I think it was that much more special that it got to be in the hospital the day he was born that the Lions got that win."
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The Pacics and their little one are home now, recovering from the excitement of the weekend and the lack of sleep that comes along with a newborn, yet still preparing for the Lions' upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers.
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"Now we have to get ready for Sunday. Now that I'm home with him, he'll be able to sit in my Lions' den, as I call it, and cheer on the Lions in the NFC Championship Game with me," said Pacic.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions fan witnesses historic win on same day as son's birth
