Harrison native has never missed a Super Bowl. He's set to attend for 58th time

Harrison native and mega-Steelers fan Tom Henschel isn’t letting recent physical ailments deter him from continuing his streak of attending every Super Bowl.

“It’s my 58th year going to a Super Bowl,” Henschel said Tuesday.

“He’s determined to go and on a mission,” added Regina, his wife of 47 years.

Henschel is a member of the uber-exclusive Never Miss a Super Bowl Club. He shares exclusive football bragging rights with only two other men who have attended every Super Bowl, Don Crisman of Maine and Gregory Eaton of Michigan.

The trio have a tradition of meeting for lunch the day before the big game and sitting together in the stands on game day.

At 82, Henschel, now of Tampa, spends his summers in Winfield and still has relatives in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Henschel relies on hearing aids and a cane to assist his mobility. He said a mini- stroke affected his speech, but nothing will keep him from traveling solo next month to Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11.

“I’ve really slowed down this year,” Henschel said.

Last year in Phoenix, Henschel paid $40 to be pushed in a wheelchair to his stadium seat before the start of the game.

“I’m doing that again this year. That worked,” he added.

A retired airline employee, Henschel noted the good old days of affordable Super Bowl ticket prices are long gone.

Back in the day, Henschel shelled out a mere $13 for a Super Bowl ticket.

This year, he forked over $7,000 for two Super Bowl tickets, buying them on Ticketmaster through an annual VIP status from the NFL.

The NFL gifted him once with free tickets for Super Bowl XL, but otherwise Henschel has to handle all of his Super Bowl game week plans, including tickets, lodging, meals and travel details.

“They gouge you,” Henschel lamented. “This year, I’ll pay about $8,000 for my trip.”

Some who are just now trying to get their tickets may think Henschel got a pretty good deal.

As of Tuesday evening, the cheapest tickets at Ticketmaster were about $8,000. That’s for one ticket in the uppermost deck, in the corner of an end zone.

If you’d like a club-level seat on the 50-yard line — and there are some of those still available — you’ll pay up to $57,500.

Henschel cuts back in other areas of the family budget all year to set aside the money for his annual Super Bowl treks.

“I don’t go out to eat as much, and my car is 11 years old and I’m not going to replace it,” Henschel said. “I’m not rich — and the game has become for the rich and famous.”

This year, Henschel said hotel prices are steep, and he had to book an off-strip hotel room at the Golden Nugget. “I’m paying $1,700 for my room this year.”

He plans to travel solo to Las Vegas and spend five days there, with plans that will include casino time.

“I love to gamble,” he said. “It’s fun.”

Henschel has seats in the first row of the stadium’s second level.

But he doesn’t usually hunker down for the iconic halftime shows. Instead, he forgoes watching the star-studded performances and hits the bar to enjoy his favorite cocktail, a Jack Daniels and Pepsi.

However, Lady Gaga’s performance at Super Bowl LI remains a vivid memory.

“I was impressed by Gaga when she was on the fake horse at the top of the stadium,” he said.

Despite his beloved Steelers getting ousted during this season’s playoffs, Henschel will continue his tradition of wearing a black-and-gold Steelers-themed outfit to the Super Bowl.

This year, a throwback Steelers sweater is his go-to choice, paired with a Steelers hat.

“I have so much love for the Steelers, and it gives you a good feeling that people have a connection and they love the Black and Gold,” said Henschel of the reactions he often gets from people when he’s dressed in Steelers garb at the Super Bowl. “A lot of people come up to me and say, ‘Boy, I tell you what, you got the best fan base.’ And, boy, I get so proud to hear that. It makes you feel good all over.”

His all-time favorite Steelers player is Jack Lambert.

“He was always my favorite because I met him a few times in person, and he was so tough and got everyone fired up, and I loved how he played,” Henschel said.

A 1960 graduate of Har-Brack High School in Harrison, Henschel played football from a young age and continued through high school.

He served as a ball boy and water boy for the Har-Brack Tigers when he was 5.

Bummed about the Steelers’ season and lack of Super Bowl status, Henschel is hopeful to see the Steelers one more time.

“We had an offense coordinator call so many damn plays and I think we could have done a lot better this year, but we had some key injuries this year that didn’t help,” Henschel said.

Henschel would like to see the Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Ravens meet in this year’s game.

“I’m rooting for Detroit since they’ve never been there before, and I’ll go Baltimore since they’re in the Steelers’ division,” he said.

Regina Henschel has accompanied her husband to 13 different Super Bowls, but she won’t be joining him this year.

Nursing a recent hip replacement, she plans to watch the game with several friends from the comfort of her home.

She said her husband’s post-Super Bowl demeanor is always predictable.

“He goes into a dormant state,” she said. “He says it’s such a letdown after being there. It’s a big depression for a lot of months.”

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to correct that Regina Henschel has been to 13 different Super Bowls with her husband, not the past 13.