Michael Grabner showed his appreciation in a big way.
The Toronto Maple Leafs forward, who spent three seasons playing for the WHL's Spokane Chiefs upon moving to North America from his native Austria, surprised the family with whom he lived during those days with tickets to Super Bowl 50 and a flight to California.
Rachael and Rob McCann hosted Grabner during his junior days, and he decided to pay the family back for years of not only making him feel like part of the family, but also making fun of Rachael's favorite NFL team, the Denver Broncos.
From The Spokesman-Review:
Last Friday, Rachael came home from school where she teaches algebra and literature and instantly knew something was up.
"My husband told me that Heather (Grabner) and Michael were going to FaceTime me," she said. "I thought, 'Oh my gosh, they are pregnant. They are telling me something big.'
"Then they told me they got tickets for the Super Bowl for myself and Rob. (Grabner) was so cute. He was really excited about giving this to me."
The tickets to the game and flight to California are extras the McCanns never could have afforded, she said.
"It’s not just the Super Bowl. This is my team," she said. "It is really special that he even thought of this. He has been incredibly generous."
The story, of course, has an even happier ending, as the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-10.
