T.J. Watt sends family of fallen veteran to Super Bowl

LOS ANGELES — Just 24 hours after Steelers TJ Watt won NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, he was giving back to a military family who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Channel 11′s Jenna Harner was the only local reporter in Los Angeles to talk to Watt following a small event tonight.

Watt awarded military widow Pamela Jeans and her son with a trip to the Super Bowl. James’ husband Duel joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1947 and served in the Korean War. He died in 2013.

Pamela Jeans is a Pittsburgh native who now lives in California.

She told Harner she had goose pimples meeting Watt and that it was a thrill of a lifetime.

Watt said it was an honor.

“My grandpa served in the military, he was in the Korean War as well, so to be able to come out here and give Super Bowl tickets to a woman from Bethel Park, who I just found out is a very cool connection to our military, and something I’m very proud to be a part of,” said Watt.

Jeans received the call she was headed to the Super Bowl a few weeks back. She made sure to wear her Steelers best before meeting Watt.

“When he said, do you want to go to the Super Bowl, I haven’t come down from the ceiling yet,” said Jeans.

Watts said it has been just as surreal for him.

“To be able to partner with USAA, to be able to give Super Bowl tickets and just be able to speak to so many military veterans who are the true heroes, who I look up to the most, it’s a very surreal experience for those guys to hear me talk, when I really want to hear their stories and hear about their perspectives. I’m just very grateful,” Watt said.

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