While many pro football fans watched the Super Bowl Feb. 3 from their home televisions, senior Ian Shuttleworth took a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the game live, courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Shuttleworth said he didn’t think he was eligible for his wish.
“I thought it was only for kids that were terminally ill,” he said. “But anything considered life-threatening without treatment, such as cancer, gets a wish.”
The wish didn’t become a reality until Shuttleworth attended a Make-A-Wish banquet in late November 2012.
“Whenever I was in my second round of chemo-therapy, the Make-A-Wish representatives came in and told us to make a wish,” he said. “So over the two year period, they checked in with us every once in awhile.”
Shuttleworth’s four-day vacation to New Orleans included a tour of the Superdome, a meet and greet with former NFL coaches and players like Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard and a look into the players’ locker rooms.
“We were treated like we were part of the team,” he said. “Then, one day I went out on the town with my parents and brother.”
From the 15th row, Shuttleworth watched the game and the memorable halftime show featuring Beyoncé. He also experienced the unexpected power outage during the game, which clouded a large part of the stadium with darkness and became the gossip topic of the game.
“It wasn’t nearly as bad as it looked on TV,” Shuttleworth said. “I didn’t know as much as everyone at home knew. Everyone was texting me asking what’s going on. And I was like, ‘I don’t know. You’re the ones that can hear the commentators. I’m just sitting here.’”
Shuttleworth said his trip was more than just a football game, mentioning his fight with cancer.
“You hate to say that it was all worth it because it sucks that you have to go to that point to get that opportunity,” he said. “But for a little moment, it was worth it.”
While Shuttleworth was rooting for the second place San Francisco 49ers, he said the game’s outcome did not diminish the trip’s experience, and he hopes to return someday.
