Game 2 – The Baltimore Ravens & Their “Super Fans” Make Warrior Wishes Come True!

After Kicking off our 2016 mission in Denver on Thursday night, my dad came home for less than 24 hours and was back at the airport to head out to Baltimore & Washington DC to Make Warrior Wishes come true this weekend.

He was only home for about 18 hours before hole was back on the road for Game #2 of 2016 All32in17 mission in Baltimore.

Tha fully he didn’t have to take any overnight busses, however, he landed at the Baltimore airport at 11pm so decided to spend the night.

First thing in the morning he made his way to M&T bank stadium to meet up with the tailgate crew and the Warriors.

Over the past 4 years, we have made some incredible memories making Warrior Wishes come true in Baltimore.

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One of our biggest challenges every game is the parking and/or coordination of everyone meeting at the game. The past 2 weeks has been easy and we are working towards setting up this “model” in every city. In Dallas,bDenver and few others, we set up a Fire Truck ride with the local Fire Dept and they pick every one up at the restaurant where we have dinner and escort us to the game. Today was a little more challenging, but of course we made it work as always.

We were honored to be hosting Marine Darin Willey and his wife Maria, Leah & Kyle Weidner – daughter and son-in-law of Fallen Army Major Robert Marchanti (Leah’s mother and Major Marchanti widow, Peggy, was one of our Ravens guests 2 years ago). We also hosted Boston Bombing survivor,and Ravens Fan, Erica Brannock.

Brian, Chip and Ric – Aka “The Posse,” a group of Ravens SuperFans hosted us and our VIP guests at their incredible Ravens tailgate at that corner of Osten & Sharp. They have been helping us make Warrior Wishes come true at their tailgate for the past 3 seasons! It has become a tradition for us to take a group picture in front of that “Ravens bus” every year!

After a little food and fun, we headed to the stadium for a little more fun. Thanks to Lisa and Dick at the Ravens, our VIP guests were escorted onto the field before the game to get some photos and watch PreGame practice from the sidelines! The Ravens also gave us 4 tickets for our heroes , while Brian from the Posse donated the other 2.

As game time approached, everyone headed for their seats. Thanks to the Ravens & the Posse, everyone was treated to seats in the Front Row!!! Talk about an amazing experience!!! And we were just getting started!

The most emotional part of the game was the incredible Pre Game ceremonies – on this 15 year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a giant American flag covered the field, as an emotional rendition of the National Anthem was sung, followed by the Bald Eagle flying around the stadium as the flyover went overhead.

The game itself was defensive battle with the home team Ravens getting the win 14-7 over the visiting Buffalo Bills.

We have multiple Ravens games on our schedule this season and are looking forward to making more warrior wishes come true at M&T Bank stadium in the near future. We are also hosting heroes there for the Army-Navy game in December!

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM BALTIMORE HERE

Operation Warrior Wishes would like to thank the Baltimore Ravens for providing tickets, Field Passes and an unforgettable experience. We also would like to thank Brian, Chip and Ric from the Posse for providing tickets, tailgate & support over the years. Thanks to New Era Cap for providing the Ravens caps for the warriors.

After the game, my dad walked over for his annual casino visit, he’s not a gambler, but needed to do something to pass the time. He won a whopping $5.00 and jumped on a bus to Washington DC He will be back in action tomorrow making Warrior Wishes come true at the Redskins game. Stay tuned for more details!

MEET THE WARRIORS

SGT DARIN WILLEY

United States Marine Corps, 1st Battalion 7th Marines “Suicide Charley” Co.

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I signed my initial enlistment papers on September 10, 2001. After graduation high school in May 2002 I left for boot camp on June19 2002. After completing boot camp and my Infantry Training School, I left to join 1st Battalion 7th Marines “Suicide Charley” Co. out of 29 Palms, CA. I then deployed to a staging area in Kuwait to wait to invade Iraq. We stepped across the border in Iraq on March 20, 2003. We continued combat operations in Iraq for the next 9 months. During this first deployment I was awarded a Combat Action Ribbon, and a Presidential Unit Citation among others. I was also awarded a Combat Meritorious promotion to Lance Corporal during this deployment. My second deployment started in the August of 2004 to the Al Anbar Province in northern Iraq, near the Syrian border. During this deployment we captured and or killed numerous high value targets and ran humanitarian missions as needed. I acted as a team leader/squad leader during this deployment and was also rewarded a Combat Meritorious Promotion. I left active duty Marine Corps in 2006 and was then recalled to deploy with a Reserve unit in 2009. We deployed to Iraq for a third time and during this deployment provided security patrols and convoy security patrols. During this time I was a Platoon Sgt. When we returned from Iraq I finally left the Marines for a second time and my contract ended in June 2010.

MAJ. ROBERT MARCHANTI

Robert Marchanti was KIA on February 25, 2012 in Kabul Afghanistan. He Robert was working with the MD National Guard and NATO to to help the Afghan police department train when he and Lct Col Darin Loftis were killed by a fellow Afghan police office in what we now call a “Green on Blue.” Maj Marchanti served in the MD Guard for 28 years, he was named “Soldier of the Year in 1989. Bob was married for 25 years and has 4 children.

He was an avid Ravens fan. It was an honor to help keep his legacy alive and host his family at the game thanks to the Posse.