Sports agent and local resident Sean Stellato had the honor of meeting Pope Francis in the Vatican City last Wednesday.
Stellato represents many athletes, including the Giants’ third-string quarterback, Tommy DeVito. He said that once his people talked to the Pope’s people, he was on the next red-eye flight to Rome.
He said the meeting came about after he was interviewed by social-media personality Taylen Biggs on the red carpet at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
While he was speaking to Biggs about his outfit, which included Gucci python loafers, he was asked, “If you had to switch closets with someone for a day, who would it be?”
His answer? The Pope.
The interview went viral and resulted in the meeting in the Vatican.
Stellato said he is extremely grateful “for all the blessings this year has bestowed upon me, my family, and my clients.”
“It was a surreal moment. I was just extremely grateful to be in his presence and just having a moment where he looked me in the eyes, and I looked him in the eyes, and I could just feel his presence through my soul, every part of me, my entire DNA, and then just sharing knowledge, wisdom, and his passion for sports,” Stellato said. “It was really special.”
Stellato said he asked the Pope for an abundance of blessings for his loved ones, clients, and for his loved ones who have died.
“It was just one of those moments where it’s hard to put it into words. I have such a strong faith. My faith is such a huge part of my makeup,” Stellato said.
He added that he has been blessed through sports to have “a lot of accolades and success,” but his faith has been the root of many of his dreams and goals.
Aside from sports, he said he is blessed to be a proud father of four daughters and happily married to his wife, Krista.
He said he hopes as he moves through his career, he can be “a poster child for someone or a source of inspiration for the underdog.”
Stellato said his deep commitment to his faith was instilled by his paternal grandmother. He said once his grandmother died, he met Krista, and she further instilled the value of faith in him.
Upon meeting the Pope, Stellato gave him a custom football embroidered with the Pope’s coat of arms.
“It was different. It was unique. I collaborated with Wilson on that, which was great,” he said.
Stellato said he was able to soak everything in when he met the Pope.
“A lot of times we don’t live in the moment. We get caught up on our phones or whatever is going on, but I was able to really be in the moment,” he said.
After meeting with the Pope, Stellato traveled directly to Milan with his client Brandon King, who played for the New England Patriots for five seasons.