Game 17 – Warrior Wishes Come True At The Cardinals Game!
It’s been a crazy 10 days of making Warrior Wishes coke true! It all started last Thursday when my dad flew out to San Francisco to host warriors at the 49ers game.
From there he took a bus down the California coast to make warrior wishes come true at the Rams game Sunday.
He got to take a little break in between thanks to cheap airfare back home to Chicago before taking a $36 flight to San Diego to show his appreciation to warriors at the Chargers game this past Thursday.
After the game he bussed north to LA to catch another bus up the Coast to Oakland to make warrior wishes come true in the pouring rain at the Raiders game.
He slept over at a friends house after the game and was on an early morning flight to Phoenix this morning to make warrior wishes come true at the Cardinals game!
This will be the 17th game of our 2016 “All32in17” mission!
Here are some of the unforgettable memories we have made in Arizona over the years.
Upon arrival in the desert, my dad had a couple of hours to find his way to the stadium using public transportation & set up lunch at Dave & Busters as he was meeting the warriors at 1pm.
Our guests today were a father & son team, and as you know, My dad & I love it when we host that combination for obvious reasons. Army Sgt Ben Gutierrez and his son Javy were going to experience their first ever Cardinals game together at University of Phoenix Stadium! SGT Gutierrez had been to a couple Cardinals games in Dallas and Seattle, where he was stationed , but had never been to a game at the Cardinals home stadium.
My dad enjoyed getting to know SGT Gutierrez over lunch thanks to Dave & Buster’s. Javy, Ben’s son enjoyed the power card so he could play all the video games.
Westgate Mall, next to the stadium always has a fun Tailgate Party before every game for the fans. Ben and Javy played a couple games of bags before the Cardinals kicked off against the Jets.
As gametime got closer, the headed over to the stadium and took some cool pictures with both our New Era Caps and Chive Shirts.
My dad picked up the tickets thanks to the Cardinals & escorted the Warriors into the stadium before trying to get a cheap seat for himself. As he looked to find a ticket, he ran into a friend from home who was on vacation in Arizona with his wife. Neither of them had any idea each other were at the game, but when Nate, our friend, saw my dad he said “Of Course you are here,” knowing that we have been making warrior wishes come true at all 32 NFL stadiums each year for the past 4 year in a row.
My dad eventually found a ticket for $25 and made his way inside to meet up with SGT Gutierrez and his son. They had great seats in the corner of the end zone where much of the action took place. Most of the action was by the Cardinals and the “J-E-T-S , Jets,Jets,Jets” chants got quieter and quieter as game progressed. The Cardinals dominated the entire game clobbering the Jets 28-3. David Johnson had a monster game leading the Cardinals to victory. Needless the say, Ben & Javy had a great time experiencing their first ever game together!
As my dad thanked Ben for his service one last time & said Goodbye, Ben mentioned he had a few guys at the VA in Tucson where he works, that he would like to nominate for our program. We look forward to hosting and honoring his nominees at a future game!
Operation Warrior Wishes would like to thank the Arizona Cardinals & Estelle for providing the tickets, Dave & Busters for the delicious PreGame meal and New Era for the Cardinals Caps!
Most importantly, Thank you to to Sgt Ben Gutierrez for your service & sacrifices to our great country. They are appreciated, have not gone unnoticed & will never be forgotten!
My dad plans on sleeping at the airport tonight before he flys home in the morning. He will have a few “Days off” to hang out with X & his new Grandaughter Q before bussing up north to Green Bay Thursday Morning to make Warrior Wishes come true at the Packers game. Stay tuned for more details!
MEET THE WARRIORS
I served active duty for 13 years in the United States Army. My job title was a 19D Cavalry Scout. The eyes and ears of the battle ground. I was injured during my tour in Iraq. I received the Purple Heart for my wounds. I have also completed two more tours in the eastern and southern part of Afghanistan. I have two children, my son Javier who is 16 and my daughter Desiree who is 14.
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Contact Craig for more information about the mission (630) 339-6714
