This week’s Member of the Match when Houston Dynamo FC faces off against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday evening is Herlan Mejia, a Dynamo fan since day one. Mejia is not just any Dynamo fan, however. For him, the Dynamo are one of the most important aspects of his life.
"The whole entertainment side of my life revolves around the Houston Dynamo as long as I can remember,” Mejia said. “I always tell people that it's my happy place. I just go there and I forget about everything else. I love sports and I love Houston and I love the game."
Mejia, who moved to Houston with his family from his native Honduras at 14 years old in 1998, started attending games at Robertson Stadium. While a number of Dynamo fans can say the same thing, Mejia is one of few fans that can claim he was at PNC Stadium when construction began, or at least across the street.
“I've been a fan since they started. I'm a carpet cleaner and I used to clean carpets at the apartments right next to the stadium when the stadium was being built and I remember being there the day that they were announcing the stadium being built,” Mejia said. “Since then, I've been to every home game that there's ever been at the Stadium. Every playoff game and regular season game.”
For Mejia, the first game at PNC stadium is one of the memories that stands out most to him in his time as a fan.
“One of my favorite memories is going to opening night,” Mejia said. “I remember we met really early at a restaurant and we had a pre-game party. I remember vividly having that memory of Brad Davis cutting to the middle and hitting that ball and scoring that first goal, so that's one of my happiest moments at the stadium.”
Mejia leveled up his fandom in 2014 when he signed up for his Dynamo365 Membership, which he has kept up ever since. Mejia says that the opportunities that come with the membership have been a great addition to his Dynamo fandom.
“Before signing up, it never even crossed my mind to meet the players,” Mejia said. “I never knew anything about the benefits of being a member until I signed up. Since then, I've been redeeming bobbleheads and going to fan fests. Anything they have, I have done.”
Now, Mejia is passing on his love of the Club to his nephew.
“Every time I go there I'm in a good mood and I'm happy and that's why I'm taking my nephew now,” Mejia said. “Having somebody small to look up to me that I can show what I like, that's really good for me.”
