Larry, 67, and his best friend William “Bill” , 64, have been friends for over 30 years. The two met during their service to our country through the United States Air Force. At the time, Bill and Larry were serving as air crew on board the same US Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) surveillance plane in Cairo, Egypt. In the desert, the soldiers would pass their time by talking about professional sports and other current events that were happening back home in the United States. It was during these conversations in the desert that Larry and Bill realized that they were fans of rival football teams–the Minnesota Vikings (Bill’s team) and the Green Bay Packers (Larry’s team). It became a large part of their conversations, and invoked a desire for them to go see this rival football game together after they were finished serving in the Air Force.
Both Larry and Bill came out of the Air Force with 20 years of service under their belts, as well as both attaining the rank of a Captain during their service. Larry fought during Vietnam while Bill fought during Vietnam and Desert Storm. After the Air Force, Larry and Bill moved within miles of each other in Oklahoma. Due to family and other obligations in life, the men never were able to attend a Vikings vs. Packers game. Larry and Bill want to make sure that they are able to experience this wish together before they are physically incapable to anymore.
Wish of a Lifetime was incredibly excited to make these war heroes wish a reality by sending them to the Vikings vs. Packers game when they competed in Minneapolis, MN in November of 2014. Larry and Bill were able to view the game from their seats located on the lower level of the University of Minneapolis stadium. Due to their service in the United States Air Force, the Viking’s graciously offered them the opportunity to gain pre-game field passes and the chance to meet the Vikings Offensive Line coach-Jeff Davidson. Even though the Packers triumphed over the Vikings, Larry and Bill were both overjoyed that they finally had the opportunity to attend this rival football game together.
