Ohio State super fan 'Dr. Buckeye' takes special birthday trip to Oregon game
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- It's no secret that Buckeyes fans travel well, and Friday was a true testament to that.
The Buckeyes are set to take on the Ducks in a top three showdown Saturday. Because of the big game, American Airlines created a nonstop flight from Columbus to Eugene, Oregon.
An Ohio State flag hung out of American Airlines flight 1480 Friday afternoon as close to 200 Buckeye fans boarded it, including the Luedekes.
It's pretty tough to find a bigger Buckeye family than the Luedekes, especially Jamie.
Jamie Luedeke is Ohio born and bred. He graduated with his master's degree from Ohio State, and the doctor is known around town as "Dr. Buckeye'"
"I've had season tickets for years," Jamie said. "I did some cancer research in a lab here years ago."
His wife, Kathie Luedeke, said as part of the Ohio doctor's 70th birthday celebration, they were already planning on going to the away game.
"All of our children, when they came home from the hospital, my husband delivered two of them himself, but when they came home, they came home in scarlet and gray," Kathie Luedeke said.
But Jamie Luedeke said the phone call they got from their son, Justin Luedeke, a couple days ago, was the icing on the cake. The American Airlines pilot told him he was their captain of the flight.
"It was very exciting, very cool," Jamie Luedeke said. "I mean how many get a chance to have a child fly their plane."
Jamie and Kathie's son Justin is a graduate of Ohio State's College of Aviation, but his loyalty to the school began way before he started studying there. The Luedekes are a loyal and proud Buckeye family.
"Everyone knows. I mean our yard, a Buckeye flag flies every day," Kathie Luedeke said. "Our kids could never have anything maize and blue. They were told, don't you ever think about getting married on a Buckeye Saturday, we won't be there."
Justin Luedeke said it was a full circle moment to be back in his home state, flying other fans, especially his parents.
"These are special flights that we don't do a whole lot. So, it's a very unique situation," Justin Luedeke said. "And to combine that with my dad and his 70th birthday and him being such a big Buckeye fan, it's just a very special event for everyone."
"Away games have their own unique parts because you really get the true Buckeye fans that go to these and the ones that are really rabid," Jamie Luedeke said. "So, it's a special experience."
The Luedekes even planned a small surprise for the passengers on the flight. Each person received a buckeye. What made them so special is that they came from the buckeye trees in the Luedeke's yard.