GREEN BAY (WFRV) – For Mitchell and Hannah Widmeier, football has never been background noise—it’s their form of conversation and connection.
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Originally from Iowa, the siblings moved to Wisconsin so Hannah could receive special care after a traumatic brain injury changed her life.
“The only two options we were presented with were my older sister and I take over, or she ends up in a nursing home,” Mitchell Widmeier said. “It wasn’t even a discussion. I was not going to put my 21-year-old sister, who can’t fend for herself… in a nursing home for the rest of her life.”
Since then, Mitchell has become Hannah’s full-time caregiver, managing her medical decisions and daily needs. She cannot speak, write or walk. She spent 17 months in rehabilitation following the accident.
But, through every adjustment, one thing has remained constant: their shared love for the Green Bay Packers.
“My first Packer game was when I was five,” Widmeier said. “We bonded over that growing up. And even since Hannah’s car accident, she probably gets more entertainment out of watching me watch the game. I’m a little unhinged at times.”
On Sundays, the siblings watch every game together. Mitch commentates every play, riding the highs and heartbreaks that come with being a lifelong fan. Hannah watches him, and smiles at his animated reactions.
“Having those three hours with Hannah, it takes your mind off some of the real-world stuff that families go through,” he said. “It’s just a nice little escape for those hours every week.”
The real world has tested the family in other ways. A year and a half ago, the Mitchell and Hannah lost their oldest sister, Hayley, to cancer. She was 36.
“She was my rock through all of this,” Mitchell said. “We always said Hannah’s accident was going to be the one big thing our family had to get through. So when Hayley was diagnosed, it was a complete shock to the system.”
But when the sun is shining, Mitchell brings Hannah to Lambeau Field. Walking the sidewalks has become part of their routine, and part of their healing. In the community surrounding the stadium, they found an unexpected sense of belonging.
“We’re not from here,” Mitchell said. “But it feels like we’re part of the community. And as a brother taking care of my little sister, that makes me feel more comfortable.”
On one of their regular walks near Titletown, the siblings met Rich Bisaccia, the Packers’ former assistant special teams coordinator. What began as a wave turned into a weekly ritual.
“He came over and said, ‘Who’s this young lady?’ I told him she’s my little sister. And he had about a 10-minute conversation with her,” Widmeier said. “I just kind of stood back and let him do his thing.”
For Mitchell, those gestures reflect something distinct about the Packers franchise and its hometown.
“It is different here,” he said. “It feels like the team is a part of the community. I wouldn’t even say fan base. I’d say that word again, community.”
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The siblings did not plan to rebuild their lives in Wisconsin. But after a devastating accident and the loss of their sister, they found something steady in green and gold.
For Mitchell and Hannah Widmeier, the Packers are more than a football team—they are part of their routine, their resilience and in many ways, their home.
