Lifelong Rams Fan Surprised With Super Bowl Tickets By Former Students

UPLAND (CBSLA) — There's a big difference between a fan and a super fan — Paul Robertson is definitely the latter.

The retired Spanish teacher affectionately called Professor Pablo by his students has been obsessed with the Los Angeles Rams ever since he was a little boy.

"My dad and I in a 1961 Chevy Viscane would sit in the car and listen to Ram games — every game," he said.

Robertson's loyalty to the Rams has never wavered, even when the team moved to St. Louis in 1995. Cheering on his team from thousands of miles away, Robertson hoped and dreamed that his team would return to L.A. and when they did in 2016 he and his family became season ticket holders once again.

With an impressive season behind the arm of quarterback Matt Stafford and the stellar connection with wide receiver Cooper Kupp, the Rams made it all the way to the big game — the Super Bowl, making Robertson beyond thrilled.

However, Robertson did not win the season ticket holder lottery to buy tickets at lower prices and with tickets on the reseller market astronomically high, it seemed his dreams of watching his favorite team in the Super Bowl were seemingly dashed.

"The tickets go from $7,000 to $70,000," said Robertson. "That's a lot of money."

But when Laura Salcedo, his former student from nearly two decades ago, learned of his dashed dreams she began a crowdfunding campaign to send her former teacher to the Super Bowl.

"We actually went over the goal," said Salcedo.

In less than three days, more than 100 former students pitched in to raise more than $8,000 for Robertson's seat at the big game.

"It is the greatest realization of the biggest dream I've had in life, to go to a Rams Super Bowl," said Robertson. "And it's here at SoFi. And to be sent there by my former students, is the greatest thing I've ever experienced."