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Wishes In Flight: Gabe Recalls 'Awesome' Trip To Super Bowl 50

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Wednesday is WCCO's annual Wishes in Flight miles drive to benefit Make-A-Wish Minnesota.

Last February, Gabe, a then 12-year-old with Burkitt's Lymphoma, saw his wish come true. Matt Brickman had a chance to catch up with him after his trip to Super Bowl 50.

"Even at the airport, I could see the ocean and mountains and some of the city," Gabe said. "And it was, like...so cool!"

Gabe and his family arrived in California on Thursday with a full schedule leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. One event exceeded his expectations.

"A tour of the stadium, I was not expecting," Gabe said. "I wasn't expecting players to be there."

Gabe met current San Francisco 49er Quinton Dial, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and even got a signed football from Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

But it was all just a prelude to the main event: game day.

"I woke up at, it would have been 5 [a.m.] our time," Gabe said. "I woke up, and I could not fall asleep. I was like, come on, time, hurry up, I want to go!"

Once he got finally to the stadium and found his seat, the action took over.

"The Super Bowl game was so exciting," he said. "It felt so fast, but the whole time I was like 'This is awesome.'"

After almost a full year of waiting, Gabe finally saw his dream realized.

"It was exciting, sad when it was over," he said. "It was a lot."

If you want to help us raise miles to help Minnesota kids go on their wish trips, you can donate here.

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