DES MOINES, Iowa — Two Des Moines area nurses will be attending the Super Bowl as guests of the NFL.

Samantha Jensen, of Pleasant Hill, and her Mom, Billie Kucharo learned they would have two tickets to the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All they had to do was get the COVID-19 vaccine.

“It was a scramble for me to get the vaccine,” said Kucharo. “She got hers where she works, I couldn’t get mine until Saturday at the earliest.”

Kucharo had to get on a waiting list, as all the vaccination times were taken.

“I just put my name on a waiting list and begged them if somebody doesn’t show up, and you don’t wanna waste that vaccine call me, and Ankeny HyVee called me.”

Kucharo works as a scheduler at the Veterans Administration Hospital and she also assists in the operating room. Samantha Jensen also is an operating room nurse, she works at Iowa Methodist.

The two will get free game tickets and be invited to a party there, though the travel costs are on their own dime.

“We’re really excited to watch a game, I really wanted to see a Packers-Chiefs game, I like both teams,” said Kucharo.

“I am more of a Kelce fan, Travis Kelce, he’s amazing I just love watching him he such a good player,” said Jensen.

The two nurses say they don’t feel like heroes, but the NFL is honoring 7,500 medical professionals at the Super Bowl.

“Almost undeserving, actually, like wow, just doing. my job and getting all these accolades,” said Kucharo. “It’s awesome, it’s great of the NFL to do this, I’d like to know if there’s anyone else in Iowa?”

“I’m very appreciative, even though I don’t feel deserving, because I’m a nurse and that’s what I do,” said Samantha.

Score predictions:

Billie: Chiefs 42, Tampa Bay 28

Samantha: Chiefs 48, Tampa Bay 42