Spaulding ‘Health Care Hero’ Primma Valera is Super Bowl Bound

Spaulding Rehab’s own Primma Valera, a Rehab Aide on the 7th Floor BI Unit in Charlestown for more than 20 years, will be among 20 “superhero” colleagues from across Mass General Brigham’s (MGB) network that will join other New England health care workers as guests of Robert Kraft, the Patriots and the National Football League at Super Bowl LV in Tampa this Sunday, Feb. 6.
The mission of the trip, which was planned under NFL and CDC guidance, is two-fold: to recognize and thank a representative group of the countless health care workers, and to celebrate and emphasize the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Last April, when our plane returned with masks from China, we never could have imagined the devastation this pandemic would cause, nor could we have dreamed of the heroic stories and achievements that have come to be as a result, especially the dedication of healthcare workers on the front lines and the creation of safe and effective vaccines,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “Ten months later, it’s an honor for us to celebrate these healthcare workers by giving them a well-deserved break for a day and an opportunity to enjoy the Super Bowl, a reality that is only made possible because of the vaccines. We hope that in doing so, others are also encouraged to get vaccinated as they are able. Once again, we want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all of the healthcare heroes who have risked their well-being to ensure ours. They are truly superheroes to us.”

Spaulding Rehab Aid Primma Valera was surprised with a trip and ticket to the Super Bowl courtesy of Bob Kraft and the NFL on Friday. Valera and more than 70 other “healthcare heroes” will travel on the Patriots plane to Tampa on Sunday for a day of fun and a front-row seat to the Super Bowl. Valera has been working on the front lines with COVID for months, and is a 20-year employee at Spaulding.


Valera earned the trip because of her dedication to delivering care throughout the pandemic and because she is fully vaccinated.
In addition to a trip on the Patriots team plane and a ticket to the big game, Valera and her MGB colleagues will receive transportation from Gillette Stadium to Logan Airport with a police escort, and a ticket to the NFL TikTok Tailgate concert headlined by Miley Cyrus exclusively for vaccinated healthcare workers among other gifts.
The full group of healthcare workers hail from all six New England states and represent a range of hospitals and roles, all of which have been supporting COVID-19 units during the pandemic. The Kraft family offered four tickets to each of the governors outside of Massachusetts, who then selected healthcare superheroes from their respective states, for a total of 20 individuals representing Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The remaining tickets were distributed to many of the not-for-profit hospitals throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including Spaulding, that continue to care for COVID-19 patients. All attending healthcare workers have been fully vaccinated no later than Jan. 24, or 14 days prior to travel.
Valera and the other healthcare superheroes will depart from Boston Logan Airport the morning of Sunday, Feb. 7. The guests will arrive and board the Patriots plane from the very same hangar that received the plane filled with 1.2 million respirator masks on April 2, 2020.
Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft will then greet these superheroes upon arrival at Tampa International Airport. Once in Tampa, they will attend the NFL TikTok Tailgate concert, followed by the Super Bowl. They will return to Boston on the Patriots team plane after the game, arriving back at Gillette Stadium to complete their rewarding and memorable day.

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