With his first major purchase as an NFL player, Matthew Golden fulfilled a promise to his grandmother.
The Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver bought his grandmother Penny a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Kohrville, Texas — just two miles from where he grew up in Houston and went to school.
Golden worked with Nimesh Patel, an owner and broker of REMAX Fine Properties in Texas to complete the purchase and fulfill his dream.
Why Did Matthew Golden Buy His Grandmother A House?
When it was discovered he would be a first-round draft pick from the University of Texas, Golden was asked what his No. 1 potential purchase was with his signing bonus.
He did not hesitate with an answer.
“Definitely get my grandma a house,” Golden told On3.
Golden shared his story about being homeless as a child and why having a home for his grandma — who he called his best friend — mattered so much.
“It was hard, the times I was without a home, being a kid and not really understanding why I was in that situation,” Golden said. “I feel like God put us through that for a reason, and I feel like that what keeps me going as a man. That’s where everything started for me.
“Grandma’s love is just different, I feel like. She put as much work in as I did, and she sacrificed a lot to put me in this position.”
So when he received his signing bonus, he was contacted by Patel, who wanted to assist Golden in any way he could.
“The fact he was standing up for his grandmother and saying ‘this is what I want to do for my family,'” Patel recalled, “I was like ‘whatever you want, however you want to do it, I want to help.'”
Why Did Matthew Golden Purchase The House He Did?
The Goldens lost their property in Houston, which had a profound impact on the family.
So Golden’s initial plan was to buy back the childhood home, but it was in not-great shape. Patel advised Golden to find a more cushy home, which is why they came to the plan to purchase a home in the northwest suburbs of Houston.
“Looking at a couple of houses that met most of the criteria, we were able to narrow down a few homes,” Patel said. “We truly listened to what they wanted and we went and found it.”
Golden got his wish of surprising Penny with the new home, which he called “a blessing,” and Penny broke down with tears of joy when he shared the news.
“My grandmother has done so much for me, and I’m humbled to be able to give back to her in this way,” Golden said via a press release. “While we weren’t able to purchase our family home, we’ve found a house in an area that’s also meaningful to me.”
So although he’ll spend this football season in Green Bay, he knows his family will be comfortable watching him in green and gold.
“Home is where my family is,” Golden said. “I’m excited for us to enjoy many meals, holidays and football watch parties together.”
