Former Liberal Resident Invited to the Super Bowl

Brian Johnson KMBC News

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Eighteen Kansas City health care workers will attend the Super Bowl all expenses paid. Some found out Friday who they are.

They work at the University of Kansas Health System on the front lines fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They called me, like, 12 times and my best friend finally had to come beat on my door,” said Michelle Rotrock, a respiratory therapist.

Rotrock was at home and but hadn’t yet woken up for her overnight shift.

“I’m like, ‘Why is she here?’ And then Kailey’s like, ‘You need to get on Teams and make this phone call,'” Rotrock said.

She has been on the front lines fighting COVID-19 since the very beginning of the pandemic.

“OK, sorry. I just seriously just woke up,” Rotrock said on the Zoom call.

“Michele, you are the hardest person we’ve ever tried to get a hold of. We love you.”

Without her immediate acceptance, the Super Bowl ticket would have gone to someone else.

Health care workers on the front lines have had a hard year. They’ve seen people succumb to the disease and others survive. Being able to represent her COVID-19 unit at the Super Bowl has deep meaning for Rotrock.

“It’s just going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to get together with all these people that have the same values and beliefs that I do about the vaccine,” Rotrock said.

Of the 22,000 people in attendance at the Super Bowl this year will be 7,500 health care workers.