Little Jack would have loved it.
New York Giants star wide receiver Victor Cruz visited the family of his biggest little fan, 6-year-old Jack Pinto, in Connecticut yesterday, paying respects to the family four days after the first-grader was killed in the Sandy Hook bloodbath.
On Sunday, Cruz had honored the boy by dedicating a football game to his memory.
Yesterday, the day after Jack was buried, Cruz spent more than three hours visiting with relatives of the child, who was buried in his favorite football jersey, Cruz’s No. 80.
“Much love to the entire Pinto family. Great people with huge hearts,” Cruz tweeted shortly after leaving the home. “Looking at life through a different lens.”
During the visit, dozens of young kids — mostly boys — clad in Giants blue could be seen playing football and running around the lawn at the Pinto house.
They left with bags full of Giants memorabilia.
Earlier in the day, Jack’s father, Dean, posted a heartbreaking picture of the family-of-four on Facebook, with Jack and his brother smiling and sitting on Santa Claus’s lap.
Cruz’s visit was chaperoned by at least five police vehicles and plenty of officers.
Only one guest was willing to say anything about the special tribute as he walked down the street from the home.
“It was a successfully private moment,” he said.
When Cruz had learned after the shooting rampage that Jack was a huge fan of his, he dedicated the Giants game vs. the Atlanta Falcons to his memory.
“Jack Pinto” and “My Hero” were among the loving messages Cruz wrote on his cleats and gloves before the game, which the Giants went on to lose 34-0.