As the San Francisco 49ers prepare to celebrate their fan base on Faithful Appreciation Night, one lifelong supporter stands out as the embodiment of what it means to be Faithful. For Donna Bettencourt, fandom is not measured by wins or losses, but by decades of devotion, community, and showing up every game, every season.
Bettencourt, who was named the team's 2025 "Fan of the Year" earlier this season, represents the passion and connection that define 49ers fans across generations. From Kezar Stadium to Candlestick Park and now Levi's® Stadium, she has followed the team wherever they go, building a football family along the way.
When she first received the news that she had been named "Fan of the Year," disbelief set in before emotion caught up.
"To be honest, I thought somebody was playing a joke," Bettencourt said while standing on the field during pregame. "When they told me, my knees just gave out. I thought, 'This cannot be real.'"
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Bettencourt has been a 49ers fan since the age of 3 growing up in a family where football shaped Sundays. Her parents saved to buy her season tickets as a birthday gift, helping spark a bond that has lasted a lifetime. She even celebrated her 13th birthday at Kezar Stadium, where she shared a cake with linebacker Matt Hazeltine.
More than 50 years later, family has remained at the center of her fandom, both inside and outside the stadium.
"It's my football family, my family-family, and the family I've built at every stadium," Bettencourt said. "They keep me grounded. They keep me coming back."
The Official "Mayor of Section 408"
At Levi's® Stadium, Bettencourt is widely known as the "Mayor of Section 408," a nickname earned through years of leading chants, high-fiving strangers, and sprinting up and down the stairs after every 49ers touchdown. When she and her sister first moved to the section, it was full of strangers, so Bettencourt made it her mission to change that.
"I didn't like that we were all just sitting there," she said. "So I started high-fiving people, getting the kids involved, running the steps. Now even new fans come down just to get a high five."
Her energy has helped turn Section 408 into a tight-knit community where fans celebrate milestones together, from touchdowns, to weddings, and newborns.
That same welcoming spirit extends to the parking lot, where Bettencourt has hosted a tailgate for every home game since Levi's® Stadium opened in 2014. What began as a few cars parked nearby has grown into a gathering place where everyone is welcomed.
"It's boring tailgating by yourself," she said. "People just gravitate. You talk football, you share stories, and all of a sudden you've got family."
Saturday Faithful Appreciation Night
Saturday night's regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks will spotlight that sense of community as the 49ers celebrate the Faithful fan base as a whole. For Bettencourt, it serves as a reminder that fans play a role in every moment on the field.
"Without fans, where would the team be?" she said. "We feel every hit. We feel every high and low. It's our responsibility to keep them up and remind them it's always the next play."
As the 49ers debut their all-black Rivalries uniform, Bettencourt plans to stay true to her "Fan of the Year" red while adapting where she can. A black jacket, a black knit hat, and even a makeshift rain poncho are all part of the plan.
"They have to feel us," she said. "Every moment of it."
Wherever the 49ers go, Donna Bettencourt goes, bringing energy, heart, and a reminder that being Faithful means showing up for the team and for each other.
Her final words, as always, are simple.
"Go Niners."
