Minnesota man wins trip to Super Bowl LVIII for donating blood
A video board displays a logo for Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 01, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The game will be played on Feb.11, 2024, between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Imag (Getty Images)
(FOX 9) - A man from Otsego, Minnesota, is headed to Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII after winning tickets for donating blood.
The Red Cross ran a promotion in January that every person who donated blood would be entered into a drawing for Super Bowl tickets. David Suggs received the call on Feb. 2 that he had won the contest, which included hotel accommodation, airfare, a gift card, and two tickets to one of the biggest games of the year, where the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers.
"I thought they were joking, but they knew where I donated. I called 1-800-RED CROSS to verify, and it was true. When I told my wife, I kept laughing. I couldn't believe it was happening," Suggs said in a statement from the Red Cross.
The NFL and Red Cross team up every January during National Blood Donor Month to encourage people to donate. Suggs said he has donated 5.5 gallons of blood so far, including on Jan. 15 in St. Michael, which landed him the tickets. He said he plans to continue to help others by donating blood.
"I'm not a firefighter, I'm not a first responder, but donating blood is something I can do to help others," he said in a statement.
The Red Cross declared an emergency blood shortage at the start of 2024, saying the nation is facing the lowest number of blood donors in two decades. To learn more about donating blood, visit the Red Cross’ website here.