2024 49ers International Fan of the Year Huw Davies
Join us in congratulating Huw Davies, the 2024 49ers International Fan of the Year, presented by Cisco! Based in Melbourne, Australia, Huw's love for the 49ers began at just 13 years old, and he has been a proud member of the Faithful ever since. Watch his surprise reveal now!
2024 NFL International Fan of the Year Nominee: Huw Davies (Australia)
The journey taken by Huw Davies in becoming a dedicated 49ers fan is truly as remarkable as it is inspiring. Hailing from Hobart, Tasmania, Huw's love for the NFL and the San Francisco 49ers began in 1990 when he was just 13 years old. His father, traveling to America for work, brought back a unique gift for each of his five children: an NFL cap. Huw's cap, featuring the 49ers, sparked an interest which led to lifelong passion for the sport. At that time, in a small town far from the NFL's epicenter, Huw had never heard of the 49ers or even the NFL, but the 49ers oval intrigued him, and his fascination with the team and sport only grew from there.
In the early '90s, with limited NFL coverage in Australia, Huw would stay up late on Tuesday nights to watch a one-hour recap of NFL highlights. Often those shows featured a mere few minutes dedicated to the 49ers. Yet, that brief glimpse of Joe Montana connecting with either Jerry Rice or Dwight Clark was enough to ignite his deep admiration for the 49ers.
Huw's fandom took on a life-changing moment in 1996, when, just after turning 18, he convinced his parents to take him, and his younger brother, on a trip to California. His ultimate dream was to see the 49ers play live at Candlestick Park. He was determined, and his family agreed to leave him and his 14-year-old brother alone in San Francisco while they traveled elsewhere. With $300 in hand and hearts full of excitement, the brothers took in the sights of the city, but nothing could overshadow the anticipation of the upcoming 49ers game against the Cincinnati Bengals they were about to enjoy. That October 20th game, where the 49ers mounted a dramatic comeback victory, cemented Huw's bond with the team forever. He left San Francisco with an arsenal of 49ers memorabilia, and his allegiance to the team grew stronger with each passing year.
In his professional life as a firefighter in Melbourne, Huw has always worked to keep the NFL in the conversation, bringing the game into the fire station by making sure the action was on the TV, even though not all his colleagues were fans of the 49ers. When the 49ers played at night, he organized gatherings at local bars, further building a community of NFL enthusiasts around him.
Through every early morning wake-up for live games, every piece of 49ers memorabilia purchased, and every conversation sparked about the beauty of NFL football, Huw has proven time and again that his loyalty to the San Francisco 49ers knows no bounds. From Tasmania to San Francisco, from the days of watching highlights to waking up in the early hours of the morning to cheer for his team, Huw's journey is the epitome of what it means to be a true member of The Faithful.
49ers Fan of the Year Winners
2024 NFL Fan of the Year Nominee: Sofia Villalpando
The Faithful wear a badge of honor that demonstrates their unwavering fandom and dedication to the San Francisco 49ers. This season, Sofia Villalpando is the 2024 49ers Fan of the Year who wears that badge like a gold medal.
From her home in Southern California, Sofia has flown around the country to attend 49ers games in the Bay Area and beyond. She hasn't missed one in nearly 60 games since she started traveling in 2022.
As a 49ers season ticket holder, Sofia opts to travel by herself and considers her solo travel an opportunity to meet with fellow 49ers fans-turned-friends in the tailgate lots. With the Faithful community, Sofia never feels alone on the road.
Sofia has also started organizing donation drives for the San Jose Family Shelter to give back to the community which she says has brought her so much joy over the years. Sofia has encouraged her tailgate "familia" and countless other NFL fans to make donations toward this common goal.
Sofia's commitment to giving back to the community is the embodiment of being Faithful to the Bay, regardless of where Sofia calls home. Our fans, our team and our organization will always be FAITHFUL TO THE BAY, and we're grateful to Sofia for her steadfast commitment and tireless effort on behalf of the team, the fans and the region.
2022 Fan of the Year Nominee: Reymundo Pena
Reymundo exemplifies what it truly means to be part of the Faithful. Having been a 49ers fan since the age of 5 when his dad took him to his first 49ers home game, he embodies what a 49ers fan should resemble: loyalty, perseverance, and passion. After successfully starting the Forever Faithful Azteca clothing brand and tailgate chapter for LatinX 49ers fans, his chapter helps connect other chapters and 49ers fans from across the globe.
During his younger years, Rey sustained a severe eye injury, causing him to go through nearly forty surgeries between the ages of 15 and 30. Now at 30, he was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer in his eye and it needed to be removed. However, Rey did not let this setback bring him down. He decided to bring positivity to this experience and get a 49ers prosthetic eye. Having been an aspiring rap artist in the Bay Area, Rey embraced his eye and named himself, "Eye of the Niner".
Outside of his 49ers fandom, Rey is proud to organize a toy drive that benefits farm workers in the local community who may not have the opportunity to purchase toys for their kids. Rey's passion for the 49ers and the community is one we should strive for and admire.
2021 Fan of the Year Nominee: Ankita Tandel
Ankita is currently serving as the Immunization Program Manager for San Mateo County in California. In this role, she is responsible for rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine for the county and setting up the first drive-through vaccination clinic in the state. Through this clinic, Ankita and her team have vaccinated over 130,000 residents, which equates to 92% of her county.
Her job consists of 16-18 hour work days, long clinic days, fighting to reach the hardest-to-reach population in the county, and being as equitable as possible for those members of color. In the midst of her vaccination efforts, Ankita found out that she has a pituitary tumor that may prevent her from ever having more kids and took her on a roller coaster of medical appointments, MRIs and emotional heartache.
Football has always been something that unites her family for better or worse, and Ankita was grateful to have this season to keep her going through the hard times. As she visited the first two pre-season games this year, Ankita thought to herself, "I wonder how many people were vaccinated through the clinics I was able to help stand up and therefore are that much safer enjoying America's favorite past time."
2020 Fan of the Year Nominee: Mary Joy
Mary Joy has been a 49ers fan since she was a little girl and grew up to be a proud season ticket holder at Levi's Stadium. Regardless of the play on the field, she has supported the 49ers at the highest level of loyalty. As an ER nurse for 10 years, Mary works 12-hour night shifts, but when the team is at home for game days, she'll leave her shift at 7:30 AM and head straight to Levi's Stadium to support her Niners.
Through the years, especially during the pandemic, the team has given her hope and helped push her through the more difficult nights at the hospital. As a diehard 49ers fan for decades, her support has never wavered, and in difficult years on the field, she has continued to show up and represent the faithful in her seats. Mary understands how difficult it is to overcome a difficult football schedule and unprecedented times in the medical field but believes that with a team-first mentality and some faith, we can overcome anything.
