For the first time in her life, Trae Sieczko was speechless.

15 minutes earlier, the talkative Bay Area native had to excuse herself from Opening Night at the Super Bowl to compose her emotions. She could feel Scot watching and Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was waiting.

"Once I saw Cam, I didn't say a whole lot, but thank you and please beat the Broncos on Sunday,'" Sieczko said.

"I still feel like I'm in la la land dreaming. He's super nice, super sweet. I know he's so busy this week, so for him to take a couple minutes is amazing."

At first, it wasn't Sieczko's dream to meet Newton. It was her son's Scot's. But in September of 2014, at just 22, he lost his fight against an aggressive form of an extremely rare childhood cancer before he could check off all the items on his bucket list. So his mom took over.

"In my mind, it was like, OK, we still have these few items that he wanted to do before he died, so we're just gonna make sure they happened," Sieczko said.

Scot first became a fan of Newton when he led Auburn to the 2010 national championship. That meant Scot became a Panthers fan a year later.

With his team in San Jose Monday night, his mom had to be there, too. But she needed help.

After Sieczko posted Scot's story on her Facebook page, KTVU anchor Frank Somerville helped get it in front of Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews, who then called 49ers general manager Jed York. When word got to the Panthers, they asked Newton if he'd sign a jersey for Scot. He said sure, but he also wanted to meet Trae.

So when his Opening Night media duties were done, Newton was shuffled behind a curtain and Scot's bucket list became shorter.

"I’m pretty sure a lot of people know about the criticism that I’ve received since day one, but as much criticism as I get, to have a heartwarming story that pretty much nobody wants to hear," Newton said.

"But when it becomes news to me, it kind of makes me feel great. It makes me understand that it’s a lot of purpose to what I do."

The signed jersey is now "retired" and destined for a frame that Sieczko hopes to put up in an eventual office for Team Scot, the nonprofit she launched to help with research for childhood cancer.

Sieczko won't be at Levi's Stadium Sunday, but she'll be tuned in. So will Scot.

"He's probably still up there in heaven right now screaming," Sieczko said.

"And he'll be at the game. Him and my uncle and papa who are up in heaven with him, they'll all be watching."