Two unlikely friends, one a Chiefs fan and one an Eagles fan, will be sitting together at the Super Bowl on Sunday.John Gladwell and Billy Welsh first met each other while serving together in the Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.“We did not like each other while we were in,” Gladwell said. “He was 17, he was young, he was too enthusiastic. I just wanted to go home. I wanted out,” he added.“He was a jerk,” Welsh said of Gladwell.But that dynamic all changed when Welsh reached out on social media in desperate need of a kidney and Gladwell responded.“I was shocked, when he said he was a match and he was going to be in town next week, I cried,” Welsh said. “Never in a million years would I have ever thought that dude would’ve given me a kidney,” he added.At the time, Gladwell not only thought about Welsh, but his very young son who was about 2 years old, close to the same age as one of his grandchildren, when the kidney donation took place.“I don’t think I could’ve lived with myself if I could do something but didn’t. I wanted him to have dad going to Eagles games, Phillies games, Flyers, 76ers all of that. I wanted him to be able to experience all of that with his dad,” Gladwell said.After that kidney donation in October 2020, Gladwell faced his own health crisis.About a year ago, COVID sent Gladwell to the hospital’s intensive care unit with stage four kidney failure.“I was in a pretty pickle,” he said.It took Gladwell nearly a month recover.“I’m so thankful that he pulled through, that both kidneys are still functioning,” Welsh said.Now the two men who didn’t like each other in the Marine Corps will have a once in a lifetime trip together.Even though they’re rooting for different teams, their bond is now much bigger than football.“He’s family,” Gladwell said.“He’s my hero,” Welsh said.While the two men will be making their first trip to the Super Bowl, Gladwell’s wife Randi will be returning to Phoenix.Nine years ago, she was there for several months getting treatment for ovarian cancer which spread to her kidney.Given a 7% chance at survival, Randi will ring her bell Saturday morning for being cancer free.
Two unlikely friends, one a Chiefs fan and one an Eagles fan, will be sitting together at the Super Bowl on Sunday.
John Gladwell and Billy Welsh first met each other while serving together in the Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
“We did not like each other while we were in,” Gladwell said. “He was 17, he was young, he was too enthusiastic. I just wanted to go home. I wanted out,” he added.
“He was a jerk,” Welsh said of Gladwell.
But that dynamic all changed when Welsh reached out on social media in desperate need of a kidney and Gladwell responded.
“I was shocked, when he said he was a match and he was going to be in town next week, I cried,” Welsh said. “Never in a million years would I have ever thought that dude would’ve given me a kidney,” he added.
At the time, Gladwell not only thought about Welsh, but his very young son who was about 2 years old, close to the same age as one of his grandchildren, when the kidney donation took place.
“I don’t think I could’ve lived with myself if I could do something but didn’t. I wanted him to have dad going to Eagles games, Phillies games, Flyers, 76ers all of that. I wanted him to be able to experience all of that with his dad,” Gladwell said.
After that kidney donation in October 2020, Gladwell faced his own health crisis.
About a year ago, COVID sent Gladwell to the hospital’s intensive care unit with stage four kidney failure.
“I was in a pretty pickle,” he said.
It took Gladwell nearly a month recover.
“I’m so thankful that he pulled through, that both kidneys are still functioning,” Welsh said.
Now the two men who didn’t like each other in the Marine Corps will have a once in a lifetime trip together.
Even though they’re rooting for different teams, their bond is now much bigger than football.
“He’s family,” Gladwell said.
“He’s my hero,” Welsh said.
While the two men will be making their first trip to the Super Bowl, Gladwell’s wife Randi will be returning to Phoenix.
Nine years ago, she was there for several months getting treatment for ovarian cancer which spread to her kidney.
Given a 7% chance at survival, Randi will ring her bell Saturday morning for being cancer free.
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