***UPDATE: The GoFundMe campaign has raised the $5,000 goal, and Will is going to Super Bowl 50 and staying the entire weekend thanks to generous donations.***

UNC student Ben Craig is working to send his friend Will Arent to the Super Bowl after an incredibly tough week. Arent’s father died last Saturday from lymphoma. Craig said his death came as a surprise because Arent’s father’s condition had seemed to be improving.

Craig said Arent is a huge fan of Carolina sports teams, so when the Carolina Panthers made the Super Bowl he knew exactly what to do to give his friend something to be excited about.

“What’s one thing we can do where he can feel like, ‘That was amazing. I had one experience in the middle of all this darkness that really lifted me up.’ And because he is such a fanatic we were going to pay to have him go to the Super Bowl,” said Craig.

But going to the super bowl isn’t cheap. The GoFundMe page has set a goal of $5,000.

“There are enough people that know Will and are impacted by Will that would willingly contribute to give him this,” said Craig.

Craig said the group is trying to raise enough money buy a ticket to the game and a round-trip flight to San Francisco. Due to very high cost for hotels around the game, Craig said the plan is for Arent to crash at the airport before his flight back on Monday morning.

On Tuesday afternoon the group had already raised over $600 from 15 different donors.

Craig said that while Arent’s dad was sick, he took refuge in sports. “When stuff is going on in his life, when he had all of these changes like when his dad has been sick, he obsesses, that’s his escape,” said Craig.

Arent recently transferred from UNC – Wilmington to NC State, which Craig said took him away from his friends that put extra strain on Arent.”

“Will has all of us, we are all going home for the funeral on Friday we are all going to be with him and spend time with him and let him know that we love him and we care about him and we are going to support him,” said Craig.

You can donate here: Send Will to the Super Bowl

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