Warrior Wishes Come True At The First Game Ever At SunTrust Park!

After honoring the legacies of Army SFC Larry Vaquero, Army PFC Marius Ferrero & Air force MSGT Martin Gonzales at the Braves -Marlins game in Miami, I told him he should just hitch a ride on the Braves team bus back to Atlanta for our next mission.

My dad said he would be on the bus, however, not that bus.  He was on the $1 Megabus…  my dad had the “day off ” which gave him an extra day to get from Miami to Atlanta, which turned out to be a good thing since megabus doesn’t have a direct route between those 2 city’s.  So we had to get creative.  He took a bus from Miami to Orlando first & then a 2nd bus from Orlando to Atlanta.  It cost us an extra $1, but worked out perfectly!  Especially since he had a layover in Orlando which gave him time to have lunch with SGT Timothy Bosch, a warrior he has hosted in the past.  

My dad was humbled & honored that Tim drove over 2 hours there & back just to meet him for lunch!  He definitely enjoyed & appreciated the company during his 8 hour layover in Orlando.   

After a long lunch, Tim dropped my dad back off at the bus station to catch his 2nd  8 hour bus ride on this 16 hour trip.  While on the bus he conferenced into our board meeting to discuss plans for our 4th Annual Warrior Wishes Scramble in July.  

My dad finally arrived in Atlanta early Friday morning and stopped by Hampton Inn for breakfast. He spent the next hour or so trying to figure out the best way to get to Cobb County, the suburban area where the new SunTrust Park was built.  

Since this was the first game ever at the new stadium, no one was totally sure and my dad got a bunch of different answers.  Eventually he figured out how to get there taking the MARTA train and Cobb County bus. Luckily a couple employees were on that Cobb City bus and showed him where to go.

Tonight we had the honor of hosting Marine Cpl Sean Adams & his cousin.  Sean was one of our guests at Super Bowl LI.  He is a big Atlanta sports fan & excited to be a part of the opening day festivities! 

Over the years,the Braves have helped us make warrior wishes come true at multiple games.  Today they gave us a great deal on the “last 2 ADA seats available.”   

My dad set up dinner dinner for CPL Adams at the Terrapin Taproom, just outside the stadium.  It’s one of the new hotspots at “Battery Park” – Sports and Social. This “village” concept was built by the same company who has done Xfinity Live in Philly and Ballpark Village in St Louis.  The concept is awesome and really enhances the fan experience!  

My dad ran into Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred while Waiting for Cpl Adams to arrive.

Unfortunately, Sean was running late due to bad traffic from the detour around the bridge that was severely damaged earlier in the week. So they missed dinner and barely made it in time to see the first pitch.  Luckily my dad was waiting at Parking garage with a Parking Pass or they probably would have missed the first few innings.  

Sean enjoyed watching the Braves win their first ever game in SunTrust Park!  

Immediately following he game, my dad met back up with CPL Adams and had a post game meal at the Terrapin Taproom since he wasn’t able to make it in time before the game.  My dad enjoyed catching up with Sean over a delicious meal.  Cpl Adams invited us to his house dedication in May – The Gary Sinise Foundation built him a Smart Home & we’re hoping to attend!  

My dad said that they were the last ones to leave the restaurant. They snapped a few more photos outside the stadium with the lights on since they didn’t have much time before the game. 

Sean gave my dad a ride to his hotel, yes, I said hotel…  it was the only hotel he got on this 10 day trip and I had to twist his arm to take it.  We named our price and got it for $60.  He thanked Sean for the ride and his service one more time before heading up to his room to get a good night sleep.  

Operation Warrior Wishes would like to thank Anthony at the Terrapin Taproom for providing dinner & New Era Cap for providing Braves caps!  We also want to thank Jarrod and Ryan at the Braves for helping us secure great seats on opening day for a reasonable price.   

TOGETHER WE MAKE WARRIOR WISHES COME TRUE!

most importantly we want to thank Cpl Sean Adams for your service & sacrifices.  We look forward to seeing you again soon & wish you the best of luck in your new home! 

After a good night sleep, my dad will be back in action tomorrow to make more wishes come true at the new SunTrust park!  Stay tuned for more details!

MEET CPL SEAN ADAMS

USMC corporal Sean Adams grew up in Gainesville, Georgia. The attacks of September 11, 2001 left a profound effect on him and he enlisted in the Marines after graduating from high school. On the morning of February 10, 2012, Sean was in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on a reconnaissance patrol. In an area known to be laden with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Sean spotted the indicators marking one nearby. He was unaware, however, of the IED two feet in front of him. The blast took both of Sean’s legs above the knee, injured his right and left hands as well as his right arm. He also lost partial vision in his left eye. Sean considers the Navy Hospital Corpsmen and Marines who helped him in the field that day true heroes.

Sean began his recovery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The things that kept him pushing forward were his family, friends, his brothers overseas, and a 1960 Chevelle SS. Sean loves American muscle cars.

Currently, Sean lives with his parents. Their home is not conducive to Sean’s injuries, leaving him with a lack of independence and minimal privacy. A new specially adapted smart home will allow Sean to move forward with his life and focus on his ultimate goals: To have a muscle car garage, to help other wounded veterans with similar passions, and to one day raise a family.

https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/projects/rise/sean-adams