It was a trying season for the New England Patriots and their fan base, but Ted Rabidou still continued to fly home to Massachusetts from North Carolina for home games all year.
A season ticket member since 1993, and a fan much longer than that, he recalls being among the dedicated group of fans known as the "Mosi's Mooses" who sat in the end zone seats at the old Foxboro Stadium and cheered for late Patriots running back Mosi Tatupu. He'd been to four Super Bowls – three victories and one loss -- and decades of fandom gave him the perspective to keep supporting the organization no matter what – whether the team was experiencing adversity or he was himself.
Only kidney dialysis every Saturday kept him from having perfect home game attendance in 2024, because if he skipped a treatment, his status on the kidney transplant list would be impacted.
"I'd rather be at the game than watching it on TV," Rabidou told Patriots.com on Wednesday.
"Even before COVID we used to go to to three or four away games a year. There's only three stadiums I haven't been to, so I'm very blessed. The only game I had to miss was Saturday because of dialysis. I've been on the transplant list for 3.5 years. The reason I came to North Carolina, too, is because the transplant list there is only 3.5 to five years. In Massachusetts it's up to 10 years and I didn't want to wait that long."
Rabidou couldn't be in New England for that Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, but traveled to Gillette Stadium the following Monday under the impression that he was a semifinalist for the 2024 Fan of the Year Award presented by Bank of America.
To his surprise, he was actually the winner.
"I was shocked at the end, you know?" Rabidou said.
"I get this whole tour of the stadium and the lighthouse and it was unbelievable. Then at the end of this they tell me they forgot to take me into the trophy room. When they opened the door and I saw what was happening I was speechless."
There, behind New England's six Lombardi trophies, were Patriots veterans Deatrich Wise Jr. and Jonathan Jones holding a "Fan of the Year" jersey.
As the defensive leaders assured Rabidou, the honor was well deserved for everything he's been through. – especially in the last few years.
"I lived in Marlborough, Mass. until three years ago when COVID affected my kidneys and almost killed me," Rabidou said.
"I wasn't feeling well and went to the doctor, they took blood, and the next morning they told me I needed to get to the hospital right away because I was in kidney failure."
After this diagnosis, Rabidou and his wife moved down to North Carolina, where his son was already living. For the last three-and-a-half years, he's gone to dialysis every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday – each treatment lasting four hours.
His employer allows him to work from home, in an office decked out with signed jerseys and footballs. Ever since he's been cleared to travel he has for both work and Patriots games. He proudly wears his New England gear around the Tar Heel state, and this new residence gave him a close up look at Drake Maye as he evolved from the University of North Carolina to the NFL.
"I liked Drake Maye when he was here in North Carolina," Rabidou said. "He did a lot with nobody around him and now we just have to get the pieces around him. He's definitely going to take us back up to the top."
No matter the score, being at games lifts Rabidou's spirits and keeps him motivated. That passion would not go unrecognized by the organization.
As part of the award, Bank of America will gift Rabidou with season tickets for next season as well as a custom Patriots jersey.
Since the inception of the Patriots Fan of the Year Award in 1987, the team has presented individuals with the Joseph R. Mastrangelo Memorial Trophy honoring fans who embody unwavering loyalty and dedication.
That's Rabidou to a T – especially after years of family memories made at Patriots games and his recent tour of Gillette Stadium. He'll be honored at the field Sunday as New England hosts the Buffalo Bills in Week 18.
"Let me tell you, (Patriots chairman and CEO) Bob Kraft and what he's done with the organization makes me want to support even more," Rabidou said.
"What I saw at the stadium on that tour the other day made me say I will never leave the New England Patriots because of what he's done to that stadium, how it looks, and the people who work there. We didn't have a good year but we'll get better. I know it. We won't stay down for too long."
