BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Former Bridgewater State linebacker Casey Florence is one of 76 healthcare "superheroes" who will be attending Super Bowl LV thanks to the generosity of the New England Patriots and the Kraft Family.
Casey is a 2010 graduate of Bridgewater State where he earned a bachelor of science degree in exercise physiology. He also earned an associate degree in nursing from Laboure College in 2014. Casey has been a paramedic with the Bridgewater Fire Department since 2010, and has worked part-time as a nurse at Brockton Hospital since 2015.
According to the Patriots' official website, the 76 healthcare workers hail from all six New England states and represent a range of hospitals and roles, all of which have been supporting COVID-19 units during the pandemic. The Kraft family offered four tickets to each of the governors outside of Massachusetts, who then selected healthcare superheroes from their respective states, for a total of 20 individuals representing Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The remaining tickets were distributed to many of the not-for-profit hospitals throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that continue to care for COVID-19 patients. All attending healthcare workers have been fully vaccinated no later than January 24th, or 14 days prior to travel.
"Last April, when our plane returned with masks from China, we never could have imagined the devastation this pandemic would cause, nor could we have dreamed of the heroic stories and achievements that have come to be as a result, especially the dedication of healthcare workers on the front lines and the creation of safe and effective vaccines," said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "Ten months later, it's an honor for us to celebrate these healthcare workers by giving them a well-deserved break for a day and an opportunity to enjoy the Super Bowl, a reality that is only made possible because of the vaccines. We hope that in doing so, others are also encouraged to get vaccinated as they are able. Once again, we want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all of the healthcare heroes who have risked their well-being to ensure ours. They are truly superheroes to us."
In addition to one Super Bowl LV ticket and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly on the Patriots team plane, the 76 healthcare workers selected for this trip will also receive the following, courtesy of the Kraft family with help from the NFL: transportation from Gillette Stadium to Logan Airport with police escort, a ticket to the NFL TikTok Tailgate concert headlined by Miley Cyrus exclusively for vaccinated healthcare workers, a two-night complimentary hotel stay provided by Mark Stebbins and Leo Xarras of XSS Hotels, owner of both the Renaissance Hotel and Hilton Garden Inn at Patriot Place, a Patriots gift bag, a $100 VISA gift card to spend at Raymond James Stadium and ground transportation in Tampa.
The healthcare superheroes will depart from Boston Logan Airport the morning of Sunday, February 7th. The guests will arrive and board the Patriots plane from the very same hangar that received the plane filled with 1.2 million respirator masks on April 2, 2020. Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft will then greet these superheroes upon arrival at Tampa International Airport. Once in Tampa, they will attend the NFL TikTok Tailgate concert, followed by the Super Bowl. They will return to Boston on the Patriots team plane after the game, arriving back at Gillette Stadium to complete their rewarding and memorable day.
Casey played in all 40 games (started 38) at linebacker during his four seasons with the Bears' football team from 2006 to 2009. He recorded 222 tackles (147 solo), including 19 for loss and three sacks, to go along with ten pass breakups, three forced fumbles, three recovered fumbles, an interception and a blocked kick. Casey earned New England Football Conference (NEFC) All-Bogan Division accolades in each of his last three seasons including First Team honors in 2008.
As a team, the Bears went 28-12 (.700) during Casey’s four seasons on the gridiron and made a pair of Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) North Atlantic Bowl appearances (2006, 2007). The Bears defeated the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in the 2006 ECAC North Atlantic Bowl, 41-22.