Veterans Experience Dream Game with Wounded Warrior Project

ATLANTA, Feb. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Injured veteran Matt Hutcheson and his wife Leslie, also a veteran, sat through a tense first half of the recent Alabama versus Georgia football game. They watched the Bulldogs shut out their beloved Crimson Tide for the first 30 minutes of the game.

"'Bama couldn't do much during the first half of this game," Matt said.

But the concern quickly turned to celebration as Alabama mounted an epic comeback during the College Football Playoff National Championship in Atlanta.

"That game was amazing, best experience of my life."

Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) took Matt, Leslie, and other warriors to see the top two college football teams in the country. They also enjoyed other events around the big game. Connecting these warriors created new bonds and allowed them to rediscover the camaraderie they experienced while in the military.

"We got a Georgia fan here, so we have a friendly rivalry, much like the service rivalries," the Army veteran said of the warriors sitting with him.

In a survey of the veterans WWP serves, four in five respondents registered with the organization for social engagements and support. In short, connecting veterans with fun opportunities gets them out of their homes, in places where WWP can help.

Along with the game, warriors took in the unique experience of media day, where football players participated in a barrage of interviews. Warriors toured the stadium, explored a fan-targeted area, enjoyed a concert at Bicentennial Olympic Park, and experienced the "Taste of the Championship," where restaurants around Atlanta shared bite-sized snacks during an evening event. WWP partnerships made the weekend of activities possible. By working with like-minded organizations, WWP is able to create more opportunities for injured veterans and their families.

"The whole weekend has been amazing, but I think being able to spend time with my family and my husband, to meet new friends, has been the best – plus the things we would have never been able to do without Wounded Warrior Project," said Leslie, an Army veteran.

To learn and see more about how WWP's programs and services connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit our multimedia page.