Teen Hurt In Waukesha Parade Gets Surprise From J.J. Watt

WAUKESHA, WI — A teen hurt in the Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy was surprised with a special "get well" message from an NFL superstar.

Tyler Pudleiner, 17, is recovering after being seriously hurt in the Nov. 21 parade. Pudleiner was marching with the Waukesha South High School concert band and was injured when a man drove through marchers and spectators, killing six people and injuring more than 60.

On Thanksgiving, he was shocked to find a video message from none other than J.J. Watt, a Waukesha County native and defensive end for the NFL Arizona Cardinals.

Pudleiner, who is a huge fan, was baffled how Watt got his number.

In the video, Watt said he and his family were thinking of Pudleiner and hoped he has a full recovery. He also offered to send a care package to the Waukesha teen.

"If we can get a little bit of a smile out of you today or pick you up in any way to lift your spirits, then our mission is accomplished. I'm going to send a little care package your way. I understand you are a fan of mine. I don't know if that makes you a Cardinals fan or not. But I'm going to make sure that you get some Cardinals gear to try and lift your spirits," Watt said in the video.

Pudleiner told Patch he has been a fan of Watt's since he played for the Badgers and has followed his career since.

The teen said it was cool to have a local hero who made it big in the sports world. Pudleiner also admired Watt's big heart, especially for helping out the Waukesha County community.

The three-time NFL defensive player of the year played 26 games at the University of Wisconsin over two seasons.

" I was starstruck and, you know, shocked that it was from J.J.," Pudleiner said.

Days later, Pudleiner received a personalized Cardinals jersey, a flag and a hat.

He planned to frame the jersey.

Pudleiner's mother, Katti Pudleiner, said Watt is known for his humanitarian efforts, such as helping people affected by hurricanes and other disasters.

"It's kind of overwhelming that, you know, here's a high school kid for ... a neighboring town that he reached out to. It's not a big-scale type thing. It's very personal," Katti Pudleiner said.

Tyler Pudleiner's goal is to get stronger so he can return to school to see his friends. He is also eager to return to playing baseball as a catcher.