FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts — The New England Patriots donated front row tickets to a terminally ill Maine teacher and her son. It was a dream come true for Cathy Nichols, who’s in the fight of her life.
Nichols and her son, Jason Nichols, have been to plenty of New England Patriots games — “I sure do have a wicked crush on Tom Brady,” Cathy Nichols said — but they had never been to a game quite like the one on Sunday.
“We have our front row tickets here,” Nichols said at the Sunday night game.
The Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 45-7, on Sunday. The team will play in the Super Bowl in two weeks.
But just days ago, the Spruce Mountain High School special education tech never thought she’d see the Patriots play again.
“We had already picked out the game we were gonna see next year, and my biggest fear was that I wasn’t going to get to see my beloved Patriots play again, and not only am I seeing them play, but I’m at a playoff game watching … unbelievable,” Nichols said.
Nichols has terminal cancer. She found out Wednesday.
On Friday, CBS 13 got an email from two of her co-workers at Spruce Mountain High School telling about her story, and CBS 13 sent it to the Patriots.
“It feels like we’re in a living dream right now,” Nichols said at the Sunday night game. “It’s like it’s happening to somebody else. We’re on the field at the Patriots’ game.”
And it’s all because of Patriots’ owner, Robert Kraft, who gave her two of his family’s seats.
“Mr. Kraft … just said he hoped that they win today for me and it’s super fans like us [that] keep them going,” Nichols said.
Cathy’s got a super fan of her own, her son.
“I’m happy to be here, but I’m sad at the same time because I’d give this all back if my mom was feeling better,” Jason Nichols said at the game.
Right now, Cathy Nichols couldn’t be feeling any better. But she’s got a battle ahead.
“I’m not throwing in the towel that quickly,” Nichols said. “I have a wonderful family, I love my students. I love working for the Spruce Mountain District, and my kids need me and I need them.”