thedrifter
02-05-07, 07:31 AM
Feb 5, 2007 1:48 am US/Eastern
Wounded Soldiers Treated To Super Bowl XLI
Ileana Varela
Reporting
(CBS4) MIAMI Several injured marines are part of the thousands of fans at Dolphin Stadium watching Super Bowl XLI thanks to the generosity of an NFL team owner.
Fifty wounded soldiers left Camp le Jeune and Bethesda military bases Sunday morning and arrived in Miami early Sunday afternoon after they were chosen to attend the Big Game.
Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner donated fifty tickets and an additional twenty-five tickets were provided by the NFL for the soldiers who were wounded while serving their country in Iraq.
Brandon Sheppard of Fort Lauderdale was injured in Iraq after a bomb exploded, sending shrapnel into his calf. Sheppard was recovering at Camp le Jeune when he was given the good news two weeks ago.
“This is fabulous,” said Sheppard. “It’s a once in a lifetime chance to come out to the Super Bowl.”
Besides attending the Super Bowl, the soldiers were asked whom they would like to meet while they were in South Florida and their overwhelming response was professional wrestler and current Miami Beach resident Hulk Hogan.
City Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz was on hand to greet the soldiers when they arrived at Miami International Airport and escorted them to a marine training base where they met the wrestling legend.
“We want to say thank you for their service,” said Diaz. “We know how hard Super Bowl tickets are to get and for the young men and women who serve our country to have a chance to go and put something else on their mind instead of the recent past that they’ve been through.”
The soldiers mingled with the Hulkster, who posed for pictures and signed autographs. Hogan then surprised the soldiers, introducing another wrestler and close friend, The Big Show. Both wrestlers spent a portion of the afternoon with the soldiers before it was time to pack up and head to the Big Game.
Despite the rain, the soldiers were given choice seats to the most watched game of the year. They will return to the base Sunday night, before returning to their respective army bases on Monday.
“We all deserve it,” says soldier Bobby Joseph. “Fighting for our country, this is our chance right here. We deserve it a lot.”
Ellie
Wounded Soldiers Treated To Super Bowl XLI
Ileana Varela
Reporting
(CBS4) MIAMI Several injured marines are part of the thousands of fans at Dolphin Stadium watching Super Bowl XLI thanks to the generosity of an NFL team owner.
Fifty wounded soldiers left Camp le Jeune and Bethesda military bases Sunday morning and arrived in Miami early Sunday afternoon after they were chosen to attend the Big Game.
Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner donated fifty tickets and an additional twenty-five tickets were provided by the NFL for the soldiers who were wounded while serving their country in Iraq.
Brandon Sheppard of Fort Lauderdale was injured in Iraq after a bomb exploded, sending shrapnel into his calf. Sheppard was recovering at Camp le Jeune when he was given the good news two weeks ago.
“This is fabulous,” said Sheppard. “It’s a once in a lifetime chance to come out to the Super Bowl.”
Besides attending the Super Bowl, the soldiers were asked whom they would like to meet while they were in South Florida and their overwhelming response was professional wrestler and current Miami Beach resident Hulk Hogan.
City Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz was on hand to greet the soldiers when they arrived at Miami International Airport and escorted them to a marine training base where they met the wrestling legend.
“We want to say thank you for their service,” said Diaz. “We know how hard Super Bowl tickets are to get and for the young men and women who serve our country to have a chance to go and put something else on their mind instead of the recent past that they’ve been through.”
The soldiers mingled with the Hulkster, who posed for pictures and signed autographs. Hogan then surprised the soldiers, introducing another wrestler and close friend, The Big Show. Both wrestlers spent a portion of the afternoon with the soldiers before it was time to pack up and head to the Big Game.
Despite the rain, the soldiers were given choice seats to the most watched game of the year. They will return to the base Sunday night, before returning to their respective army bases on Monday.
“We all deserve it,” says soldier Bobby Joseph. “Fighting for our country, this is our chance right here. We deserve it a lot.”
Ellie