VIDEO: For 100th Birthday, Vikings Surprise Fan With Playoffs Tickets
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- In her 99 years of life Millie Wall has been a Vikings fan for all 56 years of their existence.
"I sit in that chair and watch the game," she said pointing to her spot in front of the television.
And don't even try calling her when the team takes the field.
"I just say the game's on call me later," she said.
She's been with them through the ups, like the "Purple People Eaters" era.
"Oh you bet. I think that's when I really got into it," she said.
Unfortunately there have also been many downs, years she considered hopeless.
"You just had to bear it," she said reluctantly.
During those times, she often threw a foam brick at her TV.
"There were years I got up all the time so I thought well this is dumb. So now I put a string on (the brick) so I can retrieve it," she said.
She's glad to say it hasn't gotten much use this year with the Vikings going 13-3, but the organization personally gave her something that only increased her excitement over the season.
It started Saturday when she says about 30 family members and relatives showed up to her home. They handed her a gift box filled with hats and a jacket bearing the Vikings logo. At the bottom was a letter.
It stated:
"Dear Mrs. Millie Wall,
We would like to invite you, one of our biggest fans, to attend our playoff game on Sunday. We know you will bring us luck as we enter into this playoff run and hope to bring it home. Thank you for the many years of supporting and cheering on our team and making us part of your life. Enjoy and Skol Vikings!"
She didn't even notice two tickets were waiting below the letter in the box. Wall's granddaughter Ashley recorded a video showing the moment the great-grandmother opened her gift. The clip has been shared all across social media and different news websites.
"I said to them, 'Is this real,'" she said.
Wall plans on bringing her binoculars to the game to get a good look at the players. She's a big fan of wide receiver Adam Thielen, partly because he's born and raised in Minnesota
Wall said her foam brick will stay at home because she won't need it. Not for this team and definitely not this Sunday.
"I have a lot of confidence in them. They're gonna make it this year," she said. "They better because I don't have too much time to worry."
Wall plans to bring Ashley with her to the game. Ashley told WCCO that her grandmother toured U.S. Bank Stadium a few years ago, back when she was 97 years old. She said Vikings staff remembered her grandmother's visit, which is how they got back in touch with her family to give the gifts.
