Every Sunday, my 93-year-old great aunt wakes up early, sets up in her recliner, and turns on the pregame shows.
Aunt Beverly lives alone in Las Vegas and credits this one ritual with keeping her spirit young: her love of football.
On the phone recently, she gushed about her love of the sport: “If there’s a game in London, I’m up at 7. Then I watch until 10 at night — the whole day.”
She calls football her favorite pastime and her best anti-aging secret: “It keeps me jumping and alive,” she told me.
Aunt Beverly has been watching football for over 70 years
Beverly fell in love with football as a teenager in Brooklyn. That was more than 70 years ago.
“That’s how long I’ve loved football,” she told me, proudly.
After she married my late Uncle Herbert, her love for the game only strengthened. When her son, Peter, moved to California, she quickly became a fan of the San Francisco 49ers.
Today, she still calls both the Steelers and 49ers “my teams.”
Sunday and Monday night football are the highlights of her week
Beverly watches five football games a week, and catches recaps for the ones she misses.
During game days, Beverly keeps her phone nearby to call her son or grandson if she’s confused about a play. It helps her stay connected to her family and community.
The game also keeps her lively.
“Of course I yell!” she said over the phone. “If it’s a kid I like, I say, ‘Grandma’s watching!’ You haven’t lived until you’ve watched football with me.”
I’ve also noticed that football helps keep her mind sharp. She knows the players, she can track stats, and she loves strategy. During our chat, Beverly remembered decades of players, teams, and moments like they happened yesterday.
Between football games, she switches to game shows “to see how many questions I can answer.”
She doesn’t compete in fantasy football, but she acts as if she does.
“I like watching the pregame shows because I like to pick who I think is gonna make it,” she said. “So far, I’m doing pretty good. I’d never bet under or over on points. It’s the team and the kids who are playing. I don’t bet, but if I did, I’d know who to pick.”
Watching her love for football reminds me that passion is an anti-aging secret
What struck me during our phone call was how animated she became talking about football. She came to life by just talking about her passion.
At 93 years old, she stays active and mentally sharp by following the sport. Although she lives alone in Las Vegas, she never feels lonely because she has built a community and connects with others through the game.
I hope I can find something I love as much as Beverly does because it’s clearly keeping her young.
As our phone call ended, she gave her usual sweet, sassy sendoff.
“I’m hanging up now,” she added, “Because it’s Sunday football.”
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