With his sophomore year at Texas A&M International University approaching, Ernesto Guerrero was in a position many college students are familiar with: He needed $200 to buy textbooks.
So, Guerrero decided to tweet at Houston Texans running back Arian Foster, asking the star athlete to help pay for them.
Foster has more than 500,000 Twitter followers. Guerrero knew the football player wouldn't likely see his message, and told Sporting News that it was meant to be a "humor tweet."
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But Foster responded, sparking an unlikely conversation that led to Guerrero receiving free textbooks:
how much are they https://t.co/Vl2jRI6kJN— Feeno (@ArianFoster) July 17, 2015
@ArianFoster no way, I never thought you would read that. Tbh I'm probably gonna rent them to save some money. Shouldn't cost more than $200— Ernesto Guerrero (@ErnGuerrero33) July 17, 2015
I'll do that. where you live? https://t.co/M1jEvCZCqd— Feeno (@ArianFoster) July 17, 2015
when do u need to get them? https://t.co/FrobePQGoy— Feeno (@ArianFoster) July 17, 2015
Wow never in my life has anything like this happened. @ArianFoster is the realist out there. From the bottom of my heart, Thank you!— Ernesto Guerrero (@ErnGuerrero33) July 17, 2015
Guerrero told Sporting News that Foster direct-messaged him with his email address, and said, "We'll make it happen."
The athlete's motive for helping Guerrero was simple:
"I'm just trying to look out for the next generation," he told Mashable in an email.
#GreatestNightOfMyLife— Ernesto Guerrero (@ErnGuerrero33) July 17, 2015
Foster, who has spent all six years of his NFL career in Houston, has an active relationship with his followers, often replying to comments and questions.