NFL legend Peyton Manning proved he’s an all star off the field too when he stunned an Air Force veteran with a special message thanking her for her service and her continued work connecting female veterans.
Jessica Astorga served 13 years in the Air Force before getting a medical discharge. She always knew she wanted to serve our country in the military.
Astorga was deployed to war zones twice as nurse treating the injured. This often traumatic job had an impact on her mental health. That’s when depression creeped in on her.
Women Veterans Network
Now that Jessica Astorga is no longer serving in the Air Force, she is actively engaged with WoVeN, Women’s Veterans Network.
She helps her fellow veterans adjust to life after the military and develop a sense of sisterhood with these women.
Astorga also loves watching football and is a huge fan of Peyton Manning.
#OnThisDay in 2013, Peyton Manning, who played for the Denver @Broncos at the time, launched a football into a crowd of service members in Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan while on a USO tour. pic.twitter.com/CnYcTYNSz1
— USO (@the_USO) March 1, 2019
Astorga filmed a video for the NFL telling her story and how watching football is important to her. ‘
In the video, she confessed that she doesn’t have a favorite team, but she has a favorite player: Peyton Manning.
She said Manning, who is considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, inspires her with his dedication on and off the field.
Peyton Manning Surprises Air Force Veteran Jessica Astorga
While speaking with the NFL, Astorga was notified that someone wanted to talk with her.
Suddenly, future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning thanked her for her service. Astorga’s hands went up to her face out of complete shock. She was not expecting this.
“Thanks for being a great supporter and fan of mine, but more importantly thank you for your service to our country and your sacrifice for all the work that you do with WoVen, and just know that I’m a fan of yours as well,” the Super Bowl champion said.
44-year-old Manning is supportive of our veterans. The former quarterback for the Colts and Broncos has previously worked with the USO to entertain troops.
He certainly made an impact on this big fan and it’s pretty incredible to watch.
See for yourself how Jessica Astorga reacts when she sees Peyton Manning in the tweeted video below.
Jessica Astorga served 13 years in the @usairforce and continues to help veterans in her community.
She’s also a huge Peyton Manning fan. And she didn’t see this surprise video call coming. #SaluteToService | @wovenwomenvets pic.twitter.com/slRedf7H9t
— NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2020
Clearly, this meant a lot to Jessica. It’s important to thank those who served our nation and Peyton Manning understands that.
The website states “WoVeN is a vibrant community for women Veterans of all eras and service branches. In addition to providing community, WoVeN strives to empower women Veterans with information, education, and resources to improve their quality of life.”
Jessica Astorga appears in WoVeN’s promotional video below.
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