United Airlines Surprises Tennell Family With Trip To Olympics

The teenage brothers of Bradie Tennell – who are both Cary-Grove High School students – got an amazing surprise this past week. Tennell will be heading to PyeongChang, South Korea, next week to compete on the Team USA figure skating team. But, it's been unclear if her brothers, who say they are her biggest fans, would be able to make the trip to cheer her on.

Tennell's mom, Jean, is a single mother who works two jobs to make ends meet on a daily basis. A family friend set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds to pay for Austin Tennell, 18, and Shane Tennell, 16, to go to the Olympics.

But on Bradie's 20th birthday Wednesday, the entire family got great news. Representatives from United Airlines learned about the GoFundMe page and came to Tennell's home ice skating rink, Twin Rinks Pavilion in Buffalo Grove, to make an announcement, according to an NBC 5 Chicago report.

"We are here to send your entire family to South Korea to watch you compete," United's Mary Moser said. "You are all going to the Olympic games together."

Jean, who works as a nurse, said the news came as a relief, according to NBC 5 Chicago.

"This means so much to be able to go over and watch her," Jean said. "To even think that we were going to sit at home to watch her on TV!"

Tennell said her brothers have been cheering her on for years.

“Throughout my entire journey, my family has been my No. 1 supporter,” Tennell said. “These three were here every day while I was practicing, sitting up in the bleachers. And Shane, he would dance in the bleachers when I had music on, and you know it just made me laugh.”

Tennell, who was an unlikely candidate for the U.S. figure skating team just a month ago, placed first at the U.S. national championships on Jan. 5 in San Jose, Calif.

Tennell and her mom are planning to leave for South Korea on Feb. 5. Her brothers will join them about a week later, according to media reports. The Olympics figure skating competition will get underway on Feb. 11.

• MORE ON PATCH: Bradie Tennell's Road To The Olympics

Photo via GoFundMe