LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — It isn’t news that Kansas City Chiefs fans are living through an unprecedented, amazing era. A Super Bowl appearance felt like a dream to fans for a long time, let alone a possible three-peat.
Living through Chiefs history reminds fans of those who are no longer here to cheer on their team. One of those late fans is Dan Ross.
“He was the biggest, he was the loudest,” his daughter Kayla affirmed.
Dan bought his season tickets in 1990, according to his wife Rhonda, and never looked back.
His love for the team never wavered through five moves in five different states. His family said he didn’t miss a home opener no matter where they lived.
Then, the time came to move back home to Missouri.
“We moved back in 2008. He got to go to one season," Rhonda said. "Then, we lost him unexpectedly to an aortic dissection. And, honestly, at first, devastation. I was like, I can't do this without him."
Rhonda told the story of how she didn’t plan to renew the season tickets after Dan’s death.
But she was surprised to learn her family actually took the slip out of the trash and renewed the tickets for her so she could continue what Dan loved: attending Chiefs games.
The family didn’t stop there, even throwing a memorial tailgate for Dan, handing out No. 58 T-shirts.
Those were a nod to his favorite player and the jersey he always wore: Derrick Thomas. Rhonda still wears that jersey to this day.
Their fan cave basement, filled with memorabilia collected over the years and the memories of Dan, also has a special seat for him. Kayla was able to get the original seats her parents sat in at Arrowhead when the stadium was renovated.
“It’s probably the closest that you know we can feel to him when we're out there at Arrowhead,” said Dan’s daughter Chelsea.
Chelsea and Kayla grew up in a Chiefs household hundreds of miles away from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. You wouldn’t know that by how loud and proud they cheer — something Rhonda said they inherited from their dad.
“If [the Chiefs] are losing or we're not having a good season, they're not happy. And I'm like, oh my gosh, your father is right here with me,” Rhonda explained.
“We wore it proud. The devastation of the losses were definitely hard," Kayla said. "I, at a young age, was losing years off my life. Of the games that we would lose, just constant on edge."
Now, being a Chiefs fan is a family affair. The girls have bought their own season tickets next to their mom, the same section where Dan sat.
They never miss a home game and make sure to make as many playoff games as possible. They’ll even travel to one away game a season.
For the Ross family, this is the best way to remember him and honor his legacy as a true Chiefs fan.
Their emotions every Super Bowl are mixed with excitement and a reminder to enjoy it while they can, something they know Dan would be doing.
“He would be having the best time, and I would love to know his thoughts on all the ref talk with what's going on online,” Kayla said.
“He would just, he'd be loving it. He would be loving every single second of this,” Chelsea said.
“I just got to remember he's got the best seat in the house right now, so he's seeing it all. He's just not getting to experience it with me,” Rhonda said.
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KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
