EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. –When Anna Burge got a phone call from her grandson in Seattle to tell her she'd be attending Sunday's game against the Texans, she thought he was joking.
"I couldn't believe it. All my kids and grandkids were in on this. I just can't say enough for them," Anna said. "They're the most wonderful kids. This is great. I just can't get over it."
Anna, who will be 97 on Oct. 20, had waited a lifetime to attend her first Vikings game. She said it was worth the wait to see her favorite team up close and personal.
"There's just no [better] team in the world," said Anna, who wore a custom-designed No. 97 Vikings jersey with her last name stitched on the back. "They're all such good people and [play] together so well. They're just a bunch of great people. All of them."
Anna called her grandson, Ryan Burge, the "instigator" of the entire operation.
When Ryan, who now lives in Seattle, made a visit to Minnesota and spoke with his grandmother about the new stadium, he asked if she would ever be up for attending a game.
Anna's answer was an overwhelming "Yes."
"As soon as she said that, I knew I had to try to get her here," Ryan said.
Three of Anna's children, a son-in-law and multiple grandchildren accompanied her Sunday. A fourth child, Ryan's father, passed away this past winter, and Ryan and his grandmother shared a special – and emotional – moment on the sideline pregame.
"It's unbelievable," Anna said as she took in the magnitude and atmosphere of U.S. Bank Stadium. "It's the best in the world, actually. It's just unbelievable – I'm lost for words.
"I'm beyond glad," Anna added, her voice wavering just a bit. "I'm thrilled to be here. I just can't hold back the tears."
Although most of the Burge family supports the purple and gold, one of Anna's sons hails from Houston.
"He'll be rooting for his team, so I'll wish him well too," she said before adding with a smile, "But go Vikings. Skol!"
It's safe to say the **Vikings 31-13 takedown of the Texans** was a welcomed early birthday present for one of their biggest fans.
