By Kyle Eversgerd
Special to Stlouisrams.com

Joe Lusk and Nate Thompson did a lot together.  They were classmates, roommates, teammates and military mates.  Most of all they were friends and they had a plan to do something big together.
 
It all began in 1998 when the pair met at West Point, both members of the sprint football team and aeronautical engineer majors.  Four years later the duo lived together at flight school and frequented Florida State football games as season ticket holders.  Many times the conversations on these trips resulted in the same content. 

“We’d be driving down there and see all these nice RV’s and started brainstorming like a lot of guys do,” Thompson stated.  “We said it would be cool to travel the country for an entire football season watching football games and tailgating.”

Lusk and Thompson graduated from flight school a year apart and in 2005 the unthinkable happened.  While in Kuwait, Lusk was killed when his apache helicopter crashed during a training mission.  Thompson arrived in Kuwait not much later before moving on to Iraq.  He spent the entire year there thinking about his comrade and the good times they had together.  But one thought always came to the forefront of his mind.

“While I was in Iraq that entire year I continued to think about our dream of a football trip,” Thompson stated.  “I thought it would be a great opportunity to keep his memory alive and what he stood for as far as liking to work hard and play hard.  He was a very inspirational guy and this would be a great tribute to him.”

Upon arriving back to the United States the wheels were set in motion and along with his brother Aaron and friend Nolan Meyers, Nate and company are currently paying tribute to a fallen soldier and a friend.  The trio is travelling over 30,000 miles to 31 NFL stadiums and 9 NCAA games not only to honor Lusk but to help raise awareness and money for the Cpt. Joe F. Lusk II Memorial Fund.

Their journey has been one of a kind, the dream of every avid football fan.  As of December 1, they have seen 22 NFL stadiums, 8 college stadiums, one major league baseball stadium and almost $4,000 dollars have been donated to the fund.  They have crossed the Mississippi river six different times, took in sights such as Yellowstone Park and Mt. Rushmore as well as meeting thousands of new friends.

While everything they have experienced may seem to be uplifting and a once in lifetime experience, there have been a few setbacks.  Take for example when their RV broke down about a month ago while they were in California.  They ended up borrowing Nate’s parent’s SUV while the transmission and engine were repaired.  A game on their schedule in Buffalo, New York might have seemed out of the question but these are military guys, they stayed right on course and haven’t veered off since the beginning.

“We have stayed true to our schedule since the beginning,” Nate said.  “It’s pretty amazing when you think about it.”

Bunked in their stylish RV, the trio recently arrived in St. Louis to take in the Rams contest against the Seahawks.  They were featured on a special report on Fox 2 when Rams owner Lucia Rodriguez took notice.  Without hesitation, she found a way to track them down and made sure the three guys paying tribute to a fallen friend were given the proper treatment they deserved, St. Louis style.

The original plan to sit in seats a friend had purchased earlier this season was completely re-routed.  Nate, Aaron and Nolan were treated to a pre-game field visit where they met Rodriguez, who gave them a special memento.  Much to their surprise, Rodriguez presented the trio with Rams jerseys, all with the name Cpt. Lusk printed on the back.  The notion hit a special place for the men who have been on quite a journey.

“Getting to meet the owner of the Rams and getting the jerseys with Captain Lusk on it was probably the best memory thus far,” Nate said.  “It’s pretty awesome.”

Just before kickoff, the group was escorted to the Clarkson Jewelers Club where they enjoyed a nice meal and some refreshments.  At halftime they were interviewed on the field and shown on the video boards for the entire Edward Jones Dome crowd to hear their story.  They watched the third quarter from the north end zone field seats before eventually finishing their St. Louis Rams experience back at the Clarkson Jewelers Club. 

The idea of honoring Captain Lusk with a jersey touched Nate, Aaron and Nolan right at the heart and they are doing their best to spread the thought to Lusk’s family.

“I called up his brother Kevin and he was pretty awestruck by the whole thing,” Nate stated.  “We plan on sending them one of the jerseys so they can have it for his memory and a memory of this trip.”

While in attendance last Sunday they looked as though someone else was carrying them through all these miles.  The spirit of Captain Joe Lusk energized each and every one of them as they continued chugging along to honor their fallen hero.  The trio may be the only ones travelling this course but the countless people they have touched along the way are continually taking notice. 

Rams fans can follow the crew by visiting 31stadiums.com.  Their site gives a look into their trip thus far, their entire schedule and information on how to contribute to the Captain Joe Lusk II Memorial Fund – monetarily, with gas cards, with home cooked food, or a nice warm bed.