T.J. Watt surprises disabled veteran with trip to Super Bowl
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Steelers superstar edge rusher T.J. Watt has surprised one lucky fan with the trip of a lifetime.
Watt is gifting a disabled Army veteran a surprise trip to the Super Bowl.
"Watt teamed up with USAA and Disabled American Veterans to award a deserving military veteran and his guest a once-in-a-lifetime experience with a trip to the Super Bowl and a chance to meet him and other NFL stars in Las Vegas. USAA will be coordinating a similar effort with other players around the league," per a press release.
The veteran, Adam Alexander, is from Oshkosh, near Watt's hometown in Wisconsin.
"In 2011, Alexander was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the Provincial Reconstruction Team, which was stationed in the province of Paktya, when he was struck in the head by sniper fire during an insurgent attack on his base, leaving him with a 5% chance of survival," the press release added.
Alexander then became a volunteer, assisting with Disabled American Veterans Chapter 17 in Winnebago County, working as an advocate for veterans' issues. His military service has led him to be awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Badge, and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor.
"Being a professional football player requires strength, resiliency, and selflessness - all inspiring characteristics that Staff Sergeant Adam Alexander embodies," said T.J. Watt. "I'm honored to team up with USAA and Disabled American Veterans to give Adam, a fellow Wisconsinite and national hero, the recognition he deserves, and I look forward to meeting him at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas."
Alexander, a Green Bay Packers fan, plans to bring his father-in-law, a Vietnam-era Army veteran, with him to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, where they will meet Watt before going to the game.
