RICHMOND, Va. -- The chance of a lifetime just keeps on giving for Carl Washington, who can’t stop talking about his big surprise Sunday when CBS 6 reporter Melissa Hipolit handed him tickets to the Redskins playoff game.
“It’s the chance of a lifetime and a great opportunity. I was overwhelmed that I got the tickets, almost had tears in my eyes,” Washington said.
The Navy veteran graduated from Armstrong High School in 1959 and lost his vision some 20 years ago.
He now lives at McGuire VA Hospital.
Carl Washington and Melissa Hipolit
Every weekend, he intently listens to his favorite team play football and dreamed that he might one day actually get to hear them play in person in a playoff game.
“I wish they could've whipped that Green Bay. Those cheese heads are tough,” Washington said.
On Sunday, that dream came true when his niece took him out for lunch, and then secretly let Melissa into the car to surprise him with two tickets to FedEx Field courtesy of the Richmond Mayor’s Office.
Once at FedEx, Washington met Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Theismann, and even made friends with some of those dreaded cheese heads.
Carl Washington
During the game, he rarely stopped cheering, and could not sleep when it was all over.
“I went all day and all night,” Washington said.
Now, Carl said he plans to pay it forward by motivating others to stay positive even when things seem hopeless.
“Don’t give up, don’t ever give up, just keep going because you never know when you turn the corner who you are going to meet. I turned the corner, and I’ve been to Redskins park,” Washington said.
