A Moment We’ll Never Forget

I didn’t expect a Facebook scroll to turn into such a blessing.

When I entered the Woodhouse Blocked Punt Contest, I figured it was just a shot in the dark at a pair of free tickets.

A week later, I got a call from a number I didn’t recognize. Usually, I wouldn’t have answered, but something told me to pick up.

It was Gunner from the Husker Athletic Partners, and he informed me I’d won the contest!

That contest prize included two tickets, sideline passes for before the game and tunnel walk, and a chance at $20,000 to put toward a new vehicle at Woodhouse Auto Family if Nebraska blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown against Michigan State.

I laughed. How often does that actually happen?

 

 

 

 

 

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Backstory

My wife Angie and I made the short drive from our home in Omaha to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Just being there with her felt like a blessing.

In 2017, just three months after our wedding, Angie was diagnosed with acute liver failure. Without a transplant, doctors told us she had only a couple of months to live. For weeks, we lived in limbo, terrified, waiting, and praying that help would come in time.

Then came the moment that changed everything. Angie’s brother called the University of Chicago Medical Center himself, desperate for help. By some miracle, a doctor answered the phone and said that if we could get her there, they would take her case.

After a full assessment, she was placed on the transplant list. Within just three hours, two donor matches came through, an absolute miracle. At that point, her chances of surviving the surgery were only seven percent.

They performed the transplant. And they saved her life.

Today, 8 years later, she’s doing really well. We have two little boys, Wesley (3.5 years old) and Raylan (1.5 years old), and every day with them feels like a gift.

The Play

So when we made the short drive, it wasn’t just about football. It was a chance to celebrate how far we’ve come. We left the boys with their grandparents and headed to Lincoln for a rare kid-free day. From start to finish, it felt special. We were treated to the full VIP experience at Memorial Stadium, watched the tunnel walk from the field, and then made our way to Section 40.

By the time we found our seats, Nebraska had already scored and was about to force another Michigan State punt. Behind us, a guy shouted, “Block that punt!”

I turned around, pointed at him, and said, “Hell yeah!”

What no one around us knew was that if Nebraska blocked that punt, we’d win $20,000. A few seconds later, the snap came. Defensive back Jamir Conn shot through the line untouched and got his hands on the ball. It bounced right into the waiting arms of tight end Carter Nelson, who jogged it into the end zone for the special-teams touchdown.

The whole place exploded. I jumped up and down screaming while Angie started crying in disbelief. I hugged her, lifted her up, and for a moment, it felt like time stopped.

Everyone around us was cheering, completely unaware of what had just happened for us, until the guy behind me asked why we were reacting like that. When we told them about the contest, they went crazy for us. That same guy grinned, tapped me on the shoulder, and said, “Remember what I told you!”

We all laughed. It felt like a dream.

It was the wildest, most joyful day of our lives.

As for Jamir and Carter, they’ve got fans for life.

The Moment After

Within minutes of that play, my phone started lighting up with texts, calls, and messages from friends and family. People had heard my name on the radio, “Quincy from Omaha,” and couldn’t believe it. Even my wife's cousin in Iowa had texted her asking if it was me after hearing it.

As the third quarter was coming to an end, Gunner called and asked us to head back down to the field for a few photos in the end zone. Afterward, we stayed to watch a little more of the game from the sideline. That’s when we noticed actor and Omaha native Adam DeVine sitting on the back of a side-by-side just after finishing his surprise appearance on the field. A few moments later, he started taking pictures with fans and the cheerleaders. Angie’s a huge fan, so she was thrilled to see him up close.

When he finished with the cheerleaders, I caught his attention and asked if he would take one more photo with Angie. He smiled, came right over, and couldn’t have been nicer. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable day.

Why It Mattered

For us, this unforgettable experience was about so much more than a car.

After everything Angie has overcome, being able to stay home with our boys has been one of life’s greatest gifts. Living on one income hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been worth every bit of it. I work as a restaurant general manager, putting in long days to provide for our family and keep things steady.

Earlier this year, we talked about upgrading our family vehicle but decided to use that money for a trip to Texas instead, a chance to make memories while the boys are still little. So when this opportunity came along, it couldn’t have happened at a better time.

Angie’s current vehicle is about ten years old, and while it’s been incredibly reliable, we were ready for something newer and with a little more room. She already has her eye on a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe at Woodhouse Place Hyundai with plenty of space for the boys and all the adventures still to come.

It’s a blessing we never could have imagined.

More Than a Game

I’ve been a Husker fan my whole life.

My dad, Wayne, raised me on Saturdays spent around the TV, cheering for the Big Red. We’re not alumni, just lifelong fans who love the tradition, the pride, and the family feel of Nebraska football.

I’ve been to some incredible games, including the 2009 win over Colorado when I took my dad for his 50th birthday. We sat in Section 40 and watched Ndamukong Suh make history.

More than fifteen years later, I found myself back in that same section, watching another unforgettable play unfold.

Looking back, I know that everything that happened that day wasn’t just luck. It was something bigger, a reminder that the right moments have a way of finding you when you need them most.

For my family, that moment came under the bright Nebraska sun, surrounded by 85,000 Husker fans and the roar of Memorial Stadium. In that instant, one blocked punt became more than just a play. It became a symbol of hope, gratitude, and everything we’ve overcome together.