Mary Rose Carreo: 100 Year Old Fan Gets Wish Granted
By Ryan Brennan
Mary Rose Carreo, a lifetime Bills’ fan, celebrated her 100th birthday recently and had a lifetime wish come true on Day 6 of training camp, when she got the chance to meet her favorite team.
Mary Rose Carreo, a lifelong resident of Geneseo, turned an astonishing 100 years old on July 20th. She was surrounded by 70 of her closest friends and family at the Morgan Estates Assisted Living Community as she reached the century mark in her life. Not many people get the chance to say that.
A week after her birthday, it was announced that Carreo would be invited to St. John Fisher College on August 5th for a chance at meeting the Buffalo Bills as they finished Day 6 of training camp. When that day came, that’s exactly what happened, making her lifetime wish finally come true. The wish was granted with the help of the Bills’ organization and the Twilight Wish Foundation — an organization that grants wishes to senior citizens.
Carreo’s been a hometown fan her whole life and didn’t hold any of that back on August 5th. As she arrived to the college, she was seen sporting a pair of Bills’ earrings as she was ushered around by her daughter — Norene Lagana — and Norene’s husband and daughter.
Her day began with a couple of gifts from the team, which included a football for grabbing autographs and a custom Bills’ jersey with the No. 100. She then proceeded to the gift shop for a mini-shopping-spree. Once she was sported up in Bills’ gear, she was ready to meet her favorite team.
As Day 6 came to an end and the players began to descend back to the locker rooms, Millie — as Carreo is known as — was right there waiting for her favorite players to show up. At first, they thought they were going to get to meet her favorite player, Tyrod Taylor. However, everyone started to come up and talk to her — players and coaches.
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Almost everyone had questions for her, but one question seemed to be on everyone’s mind and one of the players that got the chance to ask it was Reggie Bush. He asked, “Mary Rose, what’s your secret (to living a long life)?” How did she reply?
“Try and be happy.”
She added, “… get up on your feet in the morning.”
Her daughter, who was with her every step of the way, was moved by the Bills’ generosity:
"“It’s more than we ever could imagine. We were just thinking that we would meet one player and have a signature. But to have this experience with the jersey and the shopping spree and all of you wonderful people here — this is just tremendous. This is so exciting for her.”"
The Buffalo Bills continue training camp on Monday, August 8th as they prepare for their first preseason game against the Colts on August 13th.
What are your thoughts on the Bills’ generosity? Leave your comments below!