Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient Adam Alexander is a devout Packers fan. He's a lifelong Wisconsin resident who enlisted in the Army reserves in 2008. In 2011 he went to fight in Afghanistan and was shot in the head during a firefight. He was in a coma for 6 days before waking up in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland. Adam was given a 5% chance of surviving. He beat the odds and retired from the military.
Today he serves other veterans as a member of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 17 in Oshkosh. "Being wounded and recovering from that was a huge amount of turmoil that I had to overcome, and now I like to help try to inspire people to help get them through the turmoil that they go through,"
Fellow Wisconsonite TJ Watt.currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers heard about Adam's incredible story. TJ partnered with USAA, and the Disabled American Veterans organization (DAV) to get 2 tickets for Adam and his Father In Law (who is a Vietnam War Vet) to attend the Super Bowl 58 next month in Las Vegas.
The gesture by the football player highlights his dedication to honoring military veterans and their families. Adam and his Father in Law will meet TJ before the game in Vegas and are thrilled about that too. I loved him when he played for our Wisconsin Badgers! Not so much with the Steelers, but he's an amazing player who makes all of Wisconsin proud so I'll be honored to shake his hand".
TJ says the honor is all his. He posted on social media "Army Vet SSGT Adam Alexander is living proof that those from the heartland have huge hearts!"