GREEN BAY – Amy Nelson will forever take pride in her name being displayed prominently in the Packers Hall of Fame, but so will her entire family.
"We always thought Jordy Nelson would be the first Nelson in the Packer Hall of Fame," said Andy Nelson, Amy's older brother who nominated her for the Packers FAN Hall of Fame. She became the 21st inductee on Wednesday, winning an online vote amongst 10 finalists that attracted more than 13,000 votes during the month of January.
"Amy slipped in ahead of him, so that's something special we're going to cherish."
By all means, it'll be a family celebration, just like most football Sundays are, often organized by Amy. Born with Down syndrome, the 44-year-old lifelong fan studies the Packers' schedule as soon as it comes out each spring and begins planning the upcoming family gatherings.
Originally from Green Bay, the Nelson family is a bit spread out across the state now, with Amy living in the tiny northern town of Fence while older brother Andy is further south in Mayville.
But Packers games are a family focal point, especially those around hunting weekends in the fall.
"She loves parties, so she makes game day into a party event, so there's snacks and food," Andy said. "She basically recruits everybody to sign up and make sure we're there for at least part of the game.
"She likes the game, likes the sport, understands the rules. I think what she likes most about it, aside from the action on the field, is the chance to be connected to the family and interact as a group that way."
As the latest inductee into the FAN Hall of Fame, Amy will receive four club seats to a 2019 home game, a road trip for two this upcoming season, and a $500 gift card to the Packers Pro Shop.
After Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy announced Amy as this year's honoree, she made sure to get a few poignant thoughts across at the podium in the Lambeau Field auditorium.
"I'm very happy about our team and also very happy I won the contest," she said. "I want the Packers to win and get the Super Bowl, the trophy."
She's plenty direct about her favorite team at other times as well.
"Amy has a knack for coming up with one-liners, and she really can kind of cut to the quick of the issue and what's going on, on the field," Andy said. "She pretty much calls it like she sees it. 'We're terrible today,' or those kind of things are especially funny when she hits it at the right time.
"She often tells the coach what to do. 'We don't need a run here, we need a pass.' Her timing with her comments is what I enjoy about watching a game with her."
An employee at Wausaukee Enterprises, Amy pumps up her co-workers about upcoming games and takes advantage of the occasional "glamor day" to get her nails done up in green and gold. Andy also explained she'll choose a jersey from her extensive wardrobe of Packers gear depending on her mood, though she also announced at the podium her favorite players are Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews.
"It's an amazing opportunity and we're so thankful to the Packers and all the people who voted for Amy," Andy said. "It means a lot to her. This is a great chance for her to shine a little bit. Amy doesn't always get in the spotlight, and it's great that people gravitated to her and her story and gave her this opportunity. We're thankful to the Packers and all the people who were so kind and supportive."
