To be a 49ers Faithful is to be loyal, resilient, committed through adversity, and inspire others through their passion and the game of football. To represent the Faithful as the 2023 49ers Fan of the Year is to be Daniel Monreal.

Daniel believes that the game of football raised him having played Pop Warner through high school after his mother passed at a young age. The relationship he developed with the game at that time forged his path to a life of football. In his youth, Daniel was introduced to the value of life's impermanence, an awareness that sadly echoed upon receiving a cancer diagnosis as an adult. He remained resilient through the battle and earlier this year, Daniel was announced cancer-free! Upon remission, Mr. Monreal made it his bucket list goal to visit every stadium in the NFL and see every 49ers home and away game in the 2023-2024 season. Throughout life's adversities, Daniel's enthusiasm and devotion to his team never wavered.

Inspired by the likes of the great Jerry Rice and his own formative experiences with the game of football, Daniel has dedicated himself to coaching, mentoring the youth, and giving back to the community. As a youth football coach for over 15 years, his motivation stems from the passion of his players as he guides them through the game he loves with life lessons learned only on the gridiron. Motivated to replicate the positive impact that the 49ers had on his life, Daniel started a non-profit youth football program with the goal of making sure that everyone has the ability to experience the game. The program focuses on inclusion for families that may be struggling with the costs of playing.

Daniel understands the value of lessons and camaraderie learned through football for the rising generation and is committed to providing a better experience for the next generation of football players and fans. Once a player of the game, now a coach and a father - Daniel's passion for the 49ers and football has been inherited by his two sons.

Since discovering the 49ers in 1988, Daniel Monreal is a shining example of what Faithful to The Bay means. His enduring dedication to his community, his team, and his family is what inspired the 49ers to honor Daniel as the 49ers Fan of the Year and represent the Faithful.

Reymundo exemplifies what it truly means to be part of the Faithful. Having been a 49ers fan since the age of 5 when his dad took him to his first 49ers home game, he embodies what a 49ers fan should resemble: loyalty, perseverance, and passion. After successfully starting the Forever Faithful Azteca clothing brand and tailgate chapter for LatinX 49ers fans, his chapter helps connect other chapters and 49ers fans from across the globe.

During his younger years, Rey sustained a severe eye injury, causing him to go through nearly forty surgeries between the ages of 15 and 30. Now at 30, he was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer in his eye and it needed to be removed. However, Rey did not let this setback bring him down. He decided to bring positivity to this experience and get a 49ers prosthetic eye. Having been an aspiring rap artist in the Bay Area, Rey embraced his eye and named himself, "Eye of the Niner".

Outside of his 49ers fandom, Rey is proud to organize a toy drive that benefits farm workers in the local community who may not have the opportunity to purchase toys for their kids. Rey's passion for the 49ers and the community is one we should strive for and admire.

Ankita is currently serving as the Immunization Program Manager for San Mateo County in California. In this role, she is responsible for rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine for the county and setting up the first drive-through vaccination clinic in the state. Through this clinic, Ankita and her team have vaccinated over 130,000 residents, which equates to 92% of her county.

Her job consists of 16-18 hour work days, long clinic days, fighting to reach the hardest-to-reach population in the county, and being as equitable as possible for those members of color. In the midst of her vaccination efforts, Ankita found out that she has a pituitary tumor that may prevent her from ever having more kids and took her on a roller coaster of medical appointments, MRIs and emotional heartache.

Football has always been something that unites her family for better or worse, and Ankita was grateful to have this season to keep her going through the hard times. As she visited the first two pre-season games this year, Ankita thought to herself, "I wonder how many people were vaccinated through the clinics I was able to help stand up and therefore are that much safer enjoying America's favorite past time."

Mary Joy has been a 49ers fan since she was a little girl and grew up to be a proud season ticket holder at Levi's Stadium. Regardless of the play on the field, she has supported the 49ers at the highest level of loyalty. As an ER nurse for 10 years, Mary works 12-hour night shifts, but when the team is at home for game days, she'll leave her shift at 7:30 AM and head straight to Levi's Stadium to support her Niners.

Through the years, especially during the pandemic, the team has given her hope and helped push her through the more difficult nights at the hospital. As a diehard 49ers fan for decades, her support has never wavered, and in difficult years on the field, she has continued to show up and represent the faithful in her seats. Mary understands how difficult it is to overcome a difficult football schedule and unprecedented times in the medical field but believes that with a team-first mentality and some faith, we can overcome anything.