It had to end somewhere, and Texas Stadium – with its open dome for heavenly viewers – seemed a better place than most.
"We've definitely had someone watching out for us all this time," said Bob Kessler, looking up at the hole in the stadium's roof as he stood with his son Tyler on the sidelines of the Dallas Cowboys' Christmas Day game.
It's an argument that's hard to deny.
The Kesslers vowed in 1997 to see a game at the stadiums of all 32 NFL teams, a formidable task given Tyler's situation.
In the past decade, the teenager has had two kidney transplants and suffered from post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder and cancer. The Kesslers sometimes put their stadium trips on hold for years at a time as Tyler battled to overcome his latest health challenge.
But on Monday the hard-core football fans finally reached their goal when they watched the Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles at Texas Stadium. Cowboys officials gave Tyler VIP treatment and a football helmet autographed by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to celebrate the achievement.
"It's hard to believe that we've been to them all," Mr. Kessler said.
It was quite a day – and quite a year – for Tyler.
The young man from Bethlehem, Pa., also celebrated his 16th birthday on Christmas Day, a milestone his parents weren't always sure he'd reach.
Tyler was just a toddler when he was found to have kidney disease and received a transplant from his grandmother.
But after developing post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder and, later, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2001, Tyler's kidney failed once more.
The boy began chemotherapy and kidney dialysis – one of only a few children undergoing both therapies at once at that time – and the treatments ravaged his body.
His first round of chemotherapy failed, and the second paralyzed him for almost a year.
"The doctors painted a very bleak picture at that point," Mr. Kessler said.
Another round of chemo would be risky – Tyler could go deaf – but his physicians and parents felt they had no choice.
"When it comes to hearing or breathing, we'll take breathing any day of the week," Mr. Kessler said.
But the chemo worked, and the cancer was eliminated. When Tyler was well enough last year, he received another kidney transplant – this time from his father.
Now Tyler's a pretty healthy boy with an unusual expertise in football stadium architecture. Despite the years of disheartening diagnoses and painful treatments, father and son said they never gave up on their dream of seeing every field.
"People thought we were crazy. When Tyler was on dialysis, we would have to bring one full suitcase of dialysis equipment and fluids and needles and medication on the road," Mr. Kessler said. "But you do what you have to do. Who cares about a little more luggage?"
The Kesslers have visited every stadium now in use, a few that have been torn down, the Pro Bowl in Hawaii and the Super Bowl when it was played in Houston in 2004. While Tyler likes Charlotte's stadium best – the Carolina Panthers are his favorite team – Mr. Kessler prefers the tradition of Green Bay's Lambeau Field.
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LOUIS DeLUCA / DMN Tyler Kessler, with his father, Bob, and Cowboys community relations director Emily Robbins, checks out his helmet signed by Jerry Jones. Tyler had a lot to celebrate Monday: In addition to completing his stadium goal, the Bethlehem, Pa., resident turned 16. |
But their knowledge of stadiums is matched only by their familiarity with steakhouses.
After every game, they go eat a big steak.
"What else are you going to do after a great day of watching football but eat a steak?" Mr. Kessler said.
Although Texas Stadium was their last stop on their stadium tour, don't read too much into it.
The Kesslers had intended to visit Texas before, but Tyler had a bad bout of high blood pressure and they had to cancel the flight to Dallas.
Still, Mr. Kessler said he appreciates Dallas' football fervor.
"The great Texas Stadium, the tradition in Dallas, the fans there that go crazy," Mr. Kessler said. "It's a great place to end it all."
Tyler, standing on the sideline before going up to his seat to watch the game, seemed a little less impressed by us, though.
"It's like the roof hasn't been finished yet," he said.
E-mail kmenzer@dallasnews.com
