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Families of Fallen Military Heroes to Attend 2018 Pro Bowl

An NFL grant will allow 20 families to travel from across the country and overseas to remember their loved ones and build new memories together

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Jan. 23, 2018

ARLINGTON, Va. – Twenty families of fallen military service members will attend the 2018 Pro Bowl weekend beginning Jan. 25 in Orlando, honoring the lives of their fallen heroes and building new family memories together.

The weekend will be filled with opportunities for families to connect with one another, to celebrate their heroes and enjoy a very special experience with the NFL in Walt Disney World and in Orlando. The opportunity is being made possible through a grant provided by the National Football League (NFL) to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), a national military service organization providing emotional support to the surviving family members of the nation’s fallen heroes.

“TAPS is grateful to the NFL for its longstanding commitment to the men and women of our armed forces,” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS’ founder and president. “For our families who have lost loved ones in military, the NFL has offered extraordinary experiences where they have had the opportunity to honor their fallen hero and cheer for their favorite teams."

“The NFL is proud to work with TAPS and honor our nation’s fallen heroes and provide memorable experiences for their families,” said NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility, Anna Isaacson. “We hope that TAPS families invited to this year’s Pro Bowl Week festivities will create long-lasting memories together and enjoy everything Orlando has to offer. Celebrating the families of servicemembers who sacrificed for this country is just one way to honor their legacy.”

The TAPS sports program, teams4taps, creates meaningful opportunities for the surviving families of America's military fallen by engaging with​ ​the ​athletes and teams they cheered for with their hero. teams4taps works with more than 150 sports teams across the country, and since its inception in 2013, has touched the lives of thousands of surviving military families. Sixteen TAPS families participated in Pro Bowl activities with the NFL for the first time last year. In addition, TAPS was one of the NFL’s Salute to Service charitable partners in 2017.

“One of the best ways to honor those who have given their lives for freedom is to recognize and support their families, the living legacy to their service and sacrifice,” said TAPS Vice President of Sports and Entertainment, Diana Hosford. “While we cannot take away the pain of the loss, we can all help families make new, happy memories together. Being invited to share in the joy of the Pro Bowl, which showcases the very best of the NFL, means so much to the 75,000 surviving military family members across America.”

ABOUT TAPS

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is the national organization providing compassionate care for the families of America’s fallen military heroes and has offered support to more than 75,000 surviving family members of our fallen military and their caregivers since 1994. TAPS provides peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, grief seminars and retreats for adults, Good Grief Camps for children, case work assistance, connections to community-based care, online and in-person support groups and a 24/7 resource and information helpline for all who have been affected by a death in the Armed Forces. Services are provided free of charge. For more information go to www.taps.org or call the toll-free TAPS resource and information helpline at 1.800.959.TAPS (8277).