--- title: "NFL Falcon is sending military widow and son to the Super Bowl" date: "2020-02-05" modified: "2020-10-22" authors: - name: "Shannon Corbeil" job_title: "Contributor, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/scorbeil/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-trending/nfl-falcon-is-sending-military-widow-and-son-to-the-super-bowl/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Sports" - "Veterans" tags: - "USAA" --- # NFL Falcon is sending military widow and son to the Super Bowl ![]() Atlanta Falcon offensive lineman Ben Garland knows the meaning of service, but he took the NFL's Salute to Service program to the next level. --- Each year for Veteran's Day, the NFL pays tribute to our nation's servicemembers in a number of ways, but one of the most meaningful is during November's [Salute to Service](). Players wear the initials of the fallen on their uniforms, the NFL donates money to non-profit organizations like the [Pat Tillman Foundation]() or [TAPS](), and military families are invited to meet their favorite teams and experience some VIP fun. ![]() *3 year-old Cooper Dean with his new BFF, Ben Garland. (Image via TAPS)* A captain in the Colorado Air National Guard, the Veteran's Day events are particularly meaningful to Garland. In 2017, he wore the initials of Air Force veteran Robert Dean, who took his own life in June 2016. At the game, [Garland met Dean's wife, Katie, and their 3 year-old son, Cooper,]() and the meeting left a lasting impression on him. ### Related: [Here's how the Atlanta Falcons honored fallen heroes]() On Dec. 11, Garland was honored for his community service with his team's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and he decided to invite Katie and Cooper as his guests — what they didn't know was that he had a big surprise in store for them. ![]() *Ben Garland surprises military widow Katie Dean and her son, Cooper, with Super Bowl tickets. (Image via TAPS)* When accepting his award, Garland invited them onstage and presented them with tickets to the 2018 Super Bowl. "No matter what I'm doing, I give my full effort to that," said Garland [in an interview with CNN](). ![]() *3 year-old Cooper Dean wears a helmet with his father's initials, borrowed from Atlanta Falcon Ben Garland. (Image via TAPS)* Whether in the military, on the field, or helping others, it's clear Garland lives by the Air Force Core Value of "Service Before Self." From [visiting cancer patients in hospitals](), to fighting human trafficking with [SōDE Solution](), to helping families like the Deans, Garland proves how impactful service after service can be. "This incredible connection with Ben Garland and the Dean family is just extraordinary and means so much to Katie and Cooper," said [Diana Hosford, vice president of sports and entertainment at TAPS](). "Ben being in the Air Force just like their fallen hero and also being so kind, caring and thoughtful just like the man they loved and lost, makes this bond even stronger." ## Author Shannon Corbeil has worked for We Are The Mighty as a digital video producer, writer, and host, as well as a staff writer covering military history, trivia, and valor. Shannon is a fierce veteran advocate, covering the achievements of members of the military community and volunteering in multiple veteran non-profit organizations, including Pin-Ups for Vets and Warriors for Peace Theatre. Her undergraduate degree is in Humanities and Philosophy and her Masters is in Strategic Intelligence. A screenwriter and actor recently seen on SEAL TEAM and THE ROOKIE, Shannon writes about exciting projects in the entertainment industry. She is an alum of the Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project, a Finalist in the Disney TV Writing Fellowship, an inaugural fellow for the STARZ/VME #TakeTheLead Program, and has performed at the Geffen Playhouse and Kennedy Center as a writer, dancer, singer, and actor. As a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, Shannon supported the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and conducted Cyber Threat Analysis at the National Security Agency. Her work has been seen in Business Insider, Task & Purpose, Military.com, and various other publications. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()