With Stargardt stealing his sight, lifelong Cowboys fan Paul Trejo opened a tenth-anniversary box and found the dream he feared might slip away – tickets to see Dallas at AT&T Stadium in real life.
The 46-year-old Lake Havasu City resident discovered that his wife had secretly spent four months paying off Dallas Cowboys tickets for their 10th anniversary. The surprise gift carries real urgency because Stargardt disease is stealing Paul’s sight, with diabetes accelerating a timeline that doctors predict will leave him blind by 60.
“This is something that’s been at the top of my list to do before I lose my eyesight,” Paul said.
“Knowing that I might not be able to see my children get married or have their children would be the hardest reality I have to ever face.”
The anniversary surprise began innocuously with a Cowboys jersey in a box. But when Jodi, 36, urged her husband to check beneath it, the moment transformed into something even bigger. She captured a video as Paul held the paper close to his failing eyes, straining to decipher words that would unlock a decade-old dream before his vision disappeared forever – tickets to see the Cowboys in real life.
“I felt loved and surprised all at the same time,” he said. “I felt so special, too – I know my reaction doesn’t really show that, but I was in shock.”
Jodi had orchestrated the surprise with meticulous care, paying down credit cards before charging the tickets, then slowly eliminating the debt over four months. She understood the weight of time working against them.
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“Paul has always dreamed of watching the Cowboys play in their stadium,” she said. “His eyesight has gotten worse throughout the past few years and, knowing of this dream, I decided that for our 10-year anniversary I needed to make that dream come true.”
The Cowboys represented more than a team for Paul. They were a bridge to his father, their shared Sunday ritual forming bonds that transcended sport. “He has loved the Cowboys since he was a little boy,” Jodi explained. “He used to watch football with his dad and they bonded over their love for the Cowboys.”
Two weeks after the reveal, Paul stood inside AT&T Stadium’s massive bowl, absorbing the 100,000-seat expanse while he still could. Dallas defeated Washington 44-22, but the score mattered less than the moment itself – a childhood dream crystallizing just as his world began to blur.
The couple’s video, initially shared for family and friends, unexpectedly resonated with thousands online. “We never imagined this video would reach so many people,” Jodi said. “It’s been so amazing reading different stories from strangers and their family members about their own struggles with their eyesight and dreams.”
She hopes their story encourages others facing similar races against time to stop postponing dreams.
“My wife has known for years that this is something I really wanted, but we always looked at it as a low possibility because of life, kids, and money,” Paul reflected, still processing the gift’s magnitude. The surprise proved that some visions remain clear even as sight fades.
