SARASOTA, F.L. (WHDH) A United States Marine Corps veteran acquired the shock of a lifetime from Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski and the NFL’s Salute to Service Program — two tickets to Tremendous Bowl LX.
Eddie Pena spent 20 years within the Marines earlier than retiring to turn out to be the CEO of his personal enterprise in Florida. He arrived on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ facility considering he was going to be chatting with a gaggle of individuals on behalf of the Marine Corps Affiliation.
“Gronk did this factor the place he had the chair rotated like The Voice, and so when i walked into the auditorium and he rotated it hit me immediately, like, ‘oh no what’s happening right here?’” Pena mentioned.
Assembly the Tremendous Bowl champion was not the one deal with for the long-time soccer fan, Gronkowski offered Pena with two Tremendous Bowl tickets and a visit for 2 to see the large recreation in California.
“He [Gronkowski] mentioned to me after, ‘man, you appear to be you bought punched within the abdomen.’ It was simply overwhelming, it was one thing I wasn’t anticipating in any respect,” mentioned Pena.
Pena mentioned he initially deliberate to take a pal, however that pal then prompt he take somebody a bit nearer to residence.
“Once they mentioned, ‘who’re you taking’, I mentioned I’m taking my greatest pal, a fellow marine. However then once I informed my son what occurred, that I met Gronk, he acquired so excited as a result of the period once they had been enjoying right here and profitable he was in flag soccer,” Pena defined. “And once I informed my greatest pal that, he was like, ‘dude, you bought to take your son.’”
Pena mentioned he’s extremely grateful for the reward and the chance to expertise the sport together with his son. He mentioned the journey is about extra than simply himself, and he considers it an instance of the nation paying respect to those that have served.
“America has finished a significantly better job of caring for our personal,” mentioned Pena. “I’m very grateful for the best way that they’ve handled us. They’ve been quite a bit higher about caring for us.”
Pena may even get to spend extra time with Gronkowski and different NFL legends earlier than the sport within the USAA Salute to Service lounge.
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