GEORGETOWN, Ohio — The head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals has delivered a special message to a special fan.
Gordon Haerr, 100, is a decorated World War II U.S. Army veteran, and he’s also a die-hard Bengals fan. He watches every game from the Ohio Veterans Home in Georgetown.
“I suffer every time they lose,” he said. “I take it too seriously, but I like to see them win.”
Haerr’s dream is to meet a Bengals player. His friend, fellow veteran Paul Brown (no relation to the Bengals founder), is on a mission to make it happen.
“I’ll do whatever I can to make it come true,” he said.
Brown stood outside home games at Paycor Stadium for a month and a half, holding a sign detailing Haerr’s wish.
“For what he's done for this country, we owe him everything,” Brown said.
Despite this, Brown said his mission had gone relatively unnoticed — until now.
WCPO ran a story about Haerr in October. That story was aired across the country. Peggy Taylor-Clark saw it in Oklahoma.
“I thought, he needs to be able to see the Bengals or meet somebody,” she told WCPO affiliate KTEN.
That’s when Taylor-Clark called her grandson, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor.
“I always have a heart for people that have worked hard like the veterans do and given their lives for us,” she said. “I just thought these guys needed it.”
“I don't really still understand how she came across this video from Ohio, but she did,” Taylor said. “This one was important to her, and so it was important to me.”
Taylor recorded a video message for Haerr:
“I saw a video of you on the news with your friend Paul and I appreciate your loyalty to the Bengals. Hope we're making you proud. That's what we strive to do, but just want to thank you for all your support and your cheering that you guys do over there as you watch the games. Thank you for all that you've done for us and I know you've lived a life worth living.”
Haerr said he couldn’t believe that Taylor had sent him a video, and said he appreciated it.
It brings his dream one step closer to reality.
“We're going to keep rooting for them and one day that we're going to see some players walk through the door there,” said Brown.
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