Cancer patient receives bucket list tickets to see Eagles in Super Bowl LII

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (WTXF) - A man's dying wish - to see the Eagles play in the Super Bowl - is coming true, thanks to one foundation.

Among the thousands of Philadelphia Eagles fans headed to Super Bowl LII is cancer patient Wayne Baird. This is a dream come true for this lifelong Eagles fan and he has a bucket list dream to see this Super Bowl game.

"And I'm saying to Linda is I can't pass before they get to the Super Bowl. I know what's going to happen and I'm not gonna be able to be there to watch it," said Wayne Baird.

Wayne Baird may be down, may be worn down from a year-long battle with a rare cancer, but this Philly native has made it this far and is ready to cheer on the Eagles at Super Bowl LII.

"That was my goal to live long enough to see the Eagles in the Super Bowl," Baird explained.

As his Eagles trekked toward a Super Bowl berth, Wayne's daughter wrote to the California based Dream Foundation, which grants wishes to terminally ill adults.

"Dream Foundation called me and said we got you transportation and a place to stay. Now we have to get you Super Bowl tickets and then the Eagles called me and said we got Super Bowl tickets for you. It was a pretty crazy day," Baird said.

"I can't believe my daughter went ahead and did this, it's such a dream for Wayne," said wife Linda Baird. "It's been a real hard year going through the ups and downs."
Wayne has had a positive attitude since he was diagnosed, playing the theme to "Rocky" and wearing a silk robe during countless chemo and other treatments.

"Who knows? You just try to stay positive," said Wayne.

As positive as he can be, Wayne has been a lifelong Eagles fan, so he is grateful for the opportunity to watch the Eagles against a formidable opponent, just as cancer has been to him.

"I guess what I've been doing is living goals. My goal was to make it to the Super Bowl and another goal is to make it to my anniversary in March. Maybe another goal is to make it to my grandson's birthday in May," explained Wayne.

"It's great to do something fun for a couple of days. Forget that he has cancer. We still have more battles to go," said Linda.

The Super Bowl happens to fall on World Cancer Day, or vice versa, so Wayne will be among a number of cancer patients there to see the game.