NORTH ANDOVER — A mother and daughter were the first of the some 1,000 people in line outside the local Market Basket on Friday to meet MayeDay Family Foundation co-founder Ann Michael Maye — wife of New England Patriots QB Drake Maye.
Michelle Martel and her daughter, Liliana, 3, of Haverhill were there to say thank you and give her a letter expressing their gratitude.
Yes, they are big fans of Ann’s husband.
But they especially appreciate the help that Ann and Drake’s MayeDaye Family Foundation gives Children’s Hospital and patients through the Child Life Therapist team.
The foundation-funded therapists have come to almost every one of Liliana’s many appointments at the hospital.
“They keep her comfortable during the uncomfortable procedures,” Martel said.
“They distract her. They bring toys. They make sticker charts for her.”
Inside Market Basket on Friday afternoon, the store was divided into two sections.
A majority of the store was reserved for shoppers and a roped-off section for people there to meet Ann Michael Maye and have their picture taken with her.
She opened the event by talking about the foundation and her partnership with Olivia’s Organics, a multi-generational family-owned Massachusetts produce company that presented the foundation with a $5,000 check.
The foundation helps New England and North Carolina children and families endure hardship.
The line outside stretched from the store entrance to the south end of the North Andover Mall and beyond.
More than 1,000 people had RSVP’d online that they would be attending the event.
Toward the very back of the line was Methuen High School senior Charbel Yammine with three friends.
“We all want to meet Ann Michael Maye,” he said.
The guys were familiar with her baking videos including the viral “Bakemas” series she did last year from Dec. 1 to Christmas, posting a new dessert or treat video every day.
They also hoped Drake would show up.
Toward the very front of the line, Dennis Daniel, of Haverhill, revved up the crowd as if he was tailgating at Gillette Stadium.
Daniel, who arrived at 8 a.m. for the 3 p.m. event, wore an oversized Patriots hat, a ship-sized chain and sneakers that flashed red and white.
“Ann Michael Maye in the house,” he hollered.
The crowd responded with a group yell and cheer.
Also toward the front was Danielle Toupin and Jamie Morse of Nashua, New Hampshire.
Toupin wore an “I Love Ann Michael Maye” T-shirt she made that very morning.
She adores the Maye couple and Ann’s outgoing down-to-earth manner.
Several visitors brought handmade gifts and cards for Ann Michael, including an apron, T-shirt and crocheted article.
Not everyone arrived at Market Basket for the event, but everyone seemed to welcome the festive energy.
Sandi Diaz of Lawrence came to Market Basket to shop, buy ingredients for a stir-fry dinner.
He didn’t know about Ann Michael Maye’s visit ahead of time, but was happy for the occasion.
“That sounds exciting,” he said. “I wondered why the line was so big. It goes back all the way around the corner.”
North Andover Market Basket’s store manager, Joe Amaral, said the supermarket chain has hosted celebrity visits in the past.
Boston Bruins hockey legend Ray Bourque visited the Danvers store a year ago, said Amaral, who had season tickets to the New England Patriots games back in the 1980s.
But Friday was all about Ann Michael Maye.
She was scheduled for a 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. visit, but stayed at least 30 minutes extra to meet as many people as possible.
Still, hundreds of people waiting in line didn’t make it inside for an in-store meet and greet.
To accommodate them as best she could, she did a slow drive by the line waving from a vehicle and pausing for photos along the way.
Meanwhile, word has it that another Maye visit, this time Drake, is in the works for later this month at another Market Basket location, in Chelsea.