Denver Broncos fan David Daugherty wasn't sure if he'd ever see another NFL game again.
In the early morning hours of August 5th, Daugherty was driving his truck along I-70 on vacation in Colorado when someone pulled up alongside and fired several shots, striking Daugherty in his spine.
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A medical helicopter transported Daugherty to an Aurora hospital. He would spend 3 days in the ICU followed by two months of therapy at a specialized hospital in the state he called home for nearly 20 years before returning to the Kansas City area.
The first Christmas without the use of his legs would likely be a bittersweet milestone if it wasn't for the Denver Broncos.
Broncos General Manager and NFL legend John Elway heard Daugherty's story and invited him to Arrowhead Stadium to catch his favorite team play against the Chiefs.
... This may be why: meeting his idol John Elway. The story tonight after the #ChiefsKingdom game on @41actionnews 2/2 pic.twitter.com/rmWZgo3ua2
— Brian Abel (@BrianAbelTV) December 26, 2016
What Daugherty didn't know was that he was going to meet his football idol and get a sideline view before the game.
During their meeting, Elway gave an open invitation to visit Mile High Stadium whenever Daugherty makes his way back to Colorado.
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Brian Abel can be reached at brian.abel@kshb.com.
