SEATTLE, Wash – The Seahawks and Walmart announced today that they are teaming up to honor a community MVP with the ultimate game day experience – the opportunity be the only family in attendance during the Seahawks home opener and lead one of the team's most sacred traditions, the raising of the 12 Flag.
Eliot Fagley, MD, an anesthesiologist who leads the Critical Care Unit's COVID-19 response at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, was selected to represent physicians, nurses, patient care techs, therapy experts, and pharmacists, and their collaborative effort to lead critical care for COVID-19 patients. Dr. Fagley will raise the 12 Flag prior to kick off on behalf of his entire team of frontline workers, at Sunday's Seahawks vs. Patriots matchup on Sunday Night Football. A 12 Flag also flew proudly at Virginia Mason earlier this week.
Then, while the Seahawks take to the field in an otherwise empty stadium, Dr. Fagley and family will have the opportunity to cheer on the Seahawks, effectively making them the only "12s" in attendance, a special moment for a family kept apart due to the pandemic. The opportunity, courtesy of Walmart, is the first in a series of activations the company is offering to celebrate the launch of Walmart+, the retailer's membership offering. The series aims to "plus up" some customers' most missed moments that were cancelled during 2020 making them bigger and better than originally planned.
"Walmart+ is a different kind of membership that helps members save time and money, so they can do more of what they love both at home and in their communities. As someone who spends the majority of his time caring for the community, we're excited to 'Plus Up' this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Dr. Fagley and family," said William White, Chief Marketing Officer at Walmart U.S. "We're grateful to team up with the Seahawks and thank Dr. Fagley and his extended team for the heroic care they provide to their patients."
"All of us at Virginia Mason are so proud of the work that Dr. Fagley and his team are doing, and this honor is a testament to their service to our community," said Gary S. Kaplan, MD, Chairman & CEO, Virginia Mason Health System. "As an organization, we are appreciative of the relationships we have with the Seahawks and Walmart. This is really a special recognition for us, and I can think of no one better than Dr. Fagley to represent our entire team."
"Dr. Fagley and his team embody what it means to be a hero," said Jeff Richards, Seahawks Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement. "The 12 Flag is a symbol representing the community of 12s across our region and around the world. The raising of the 12 Flag is an incredibly special tradition that we reserve for people who have made a significant contribution in representing our Seahawks and Pacific Northwest community. We are thrilled to come together with Walmart to recognize Virginia Mason and Dr. Fagley's tireless commitment and dedication to service when our region has needed it most."
Dr. Fagley is responsible for ensuring his team is adequately prepared, staffed, and protected to care for all critically ill patients at Virginia Mason, as well as to keep the critical care team informed as new data on COVID-19 becomes available. He also helps coordinate communications across specialties at the hospital to optimize the care they are providing.
Throughout this very unique season, the Seahawks will be honoring community heroes with ceremonial 12 Flag raisings held across the state and beyond. The 12 Flag is raised before each Seahawks home game in an exhilarating moment just prior to kickoff, and it will continue to fly over every home game this season. More than 140 notable Seattle icons have raised the 12 Flag since the tradition first began in 2003.
About Walmart Inc.
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 265 million customers and members visit approximately 11,500 stores under 56 banners in 27 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2020 revenue of $524 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.
About Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1976 as an expansion team. The Seahawks have won 10 division titles and three conference championships. They are the only team to have played in both the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC) championship games. They have appeared in three Super Bowls, (Super Bowl XL, Super Bowl XLVIII and Super Bowl XLIX). The Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos, 43-8, in Super Bowl XLVIII to win their first title. The team plays at CenturyLink Field in downtown Seattle.
