On Oct. 22, as the Philadelphia Eagles prepared to take on the Miami Dolphins, Cristian Narino Garcia, STH ’22, was taking part in his regular pregame duties as the team’s facilities operations coordinator.
It was then that he received the surprise of a lifetime.
Previously unbeknownst to him, Dom Smolenski, Philadelphia Eagles president, let Garcia know that he would be the Eagles’ NFL Salute to Service Award nominee for 2023.
The award, presented by USAA, honors the unwavering efforts by veterans and active-duty service members who are a part of the NFL community.
“My brother and mom, who are also big Eagles fans, were in town to visit me, so I invited them to experience being on ground level prior to the game,” said Garcia.
“My family, who have always been truly supportive, knew prior that Dom was going to make the announcement, but I had no idea, so it was a great surprise.
“Most people in the military will agree that we don’t do it for recognition, but it was a great feeling, and I am really thankful,” he added.
In Garcia’s role with the Eagles, he contributes to overall event logistics and breakdown, and supports innovative projects around the facilities while maintaining key vendor relationships to ensure things operate smoothly at Lincoln Financial Field and the NovaCare Complex.
“The operations department gave me a wide knowledge about what it takes to create, run and review an event and project,” he said.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to work with great people who are part of my day-to-day life.”
In addition, he is a dedicated Air National Guard active member, spending a weekend every month and one to two weeks every year training with other reserve members.
