My Unforgettable Seattle Seahawks Game Experience & Meeting John Schneider

On November 9th, I had one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life at the Seattle Seahawks game — and it wasn’t just because we had front row seats in Section 135, Row A, directly behind the Seahawks’ Gatorade station. It was because something happened that I never expected:
the Seahawks’ General Manager came up to me, congratulated me on beating cancer, and signed my sign — completely unprompted.

Yes… that really happened. And I’ll never forget it.

Riding the Sounder From Sumner to Seattle

Our day started on the Sounder train from Sumner, which—if you’ve never done it on game day—is one of the most relaxing, iconic ways to get to Lumen Field. No Seattle traffic, no parking stress, just fans in blue and green rolling toward the stadium together.

My 14-year-old son came along with us — and for him, this was a dream.

He is autistic and has an incredible, laser-focused passion for the Seattle Seahawks and the NFL. He practices football in our backyard every single day — anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. He memorizes player stats, watches every NFL game he can, and studies plays like he’s preparing for the draft himself. His dream is to become a Seattle Seahawk one day, and honestly, with his determination and love for the game, I believe he can do anything he sets his mind to.

Bringing him to a real-life Seahawks game — especially front row — meant everything.

Front Row in Section 135 — Right Behind the Action

When we say “front row,”
I mean front row — we were literally sitting directly behind Darnold and right in front of the Gatorade station where players came to hydrate.

From this angle, you don’t just watch the game…
you feel the game.

You hear the helmets.
You hear the coaches.
You hear the energy.
And you feel the stadium shake underneath you.

The food was pricey (as stadium food tends to be!), but honestly? It was really good. Totally worth it.

And the fans around us were incredible — three different Seahawks fans actually came up and asked to take a photo with me. The community energy is something you can’t experience through a TV screen.

My “I Beat Cancer” Sign — And an Unexpected Moment of Humanity

I brought a bright sign with me that said:

“I Beat Cancer!!!”

For me, this wasn’t just a message — it was a celebration of survival. A reminder of how far I’ve come. A moment to just breathe and enjoy life again.

What happened next… I could never have predicted.

In the middle of all the chaos of an NFL game — cameras, players, coaches, media, constant action — the Seahawks’ General Manager walked over to me.

Not because I asked.
Not because I waved him down.
Not because I was shouting for attention.

He saw my sign, walked up, smiled, congratulated me…
and then offered to sign it.

He took time out of his unbelievably packed game-day responsibilities to make that moment special. It wasn’t a PR moment, wasn’t staged, wasn’t expected.

It was pure kindness.

And I will never forget it.

Watching the Game With My Son

As special as that moment was, what made the entire day even more meaningful was watching my son experience Seahawks football up close — seeing his eyes light up when players ran onto the field, hearing him call out stats he had memorized, watching him soak in every single detail.

He stood there with his “Now Beat the Cardinals!” sign, glowing with excitement, and I realized: this was one of those life moments I’ll treasure forever.

A Day I Will Never Forget

November 9th wasn’t just another Seahawks game.

It was:

• A celebration of life after beating cancer
• A dream-come-true moment for my son
• A kindness from the Seahawks’ GM that touched me deeply
• A gorgeous day in Lumen Field, surrounded by amazing fans
• A true Seattle experience — from the Sounder train to the stadium lights

I left that game with a signed sign, a full heart, and memories I’ll carry forever.

And I’m already counting the days until we go again.