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Fan drives 1,800 miles each year to attend UT games

"After watching a couple games, I said to my kids, when I retire, I'm going to Knoxville."

University of Tennessee sports venues are Dot Bogoslawski's home away from home.

It all started 30 years ago, when Dot stumbled upon a Lady Vols basketball game on TV. As she watched the late Pat Summitt coach, she knew then she'd get to Knoxville someday.

"As I watched her, she just mesmerized me as a coach," Dot said. "After watching a couple games, I said to my kids, when I retire, I'm going to Knoxville. He said 'yeah mom, OK.'"

Dot never gave up on that dream and in 2009, made her first trip to Rocky Top.

"The first game at the arena, I could hardly even walk to my seat. I was so excited. I was awestruck. I said, 'Wow look at that orange.' And, I saw her coaching and I think I started to cry because it was Pat Summitt," Dot said.

After that, she was hooked, and her love for all Tennessee sports eventually grew. Each year for nearly a decade, Dot has made the 900-mile drive from Rhode Island to Knoxville, and she stays in a hotel for four months so she can attend Tennessee games.

"I told my kids, they say, 'how long are you going to be doing it?" I said I'll know when I can't drive down but there's always an airplane," she said.

Dot did consider calling off her annual visit when Pat Summitt could no longer coach due to her battle with Alzheimer's.

"I believe in the Lord and I believe in his workings, but I said, why her? She's just someone special. But I guess the Lord wanted her more than I did. That year was tough for me to come back, in fact when she retired the ladies I sit with asked if I'm going to come back. I said I don't think Pat would be happy if I didn't come back," Dot said.

At 79 years old, Dot is now in the midst of her ninth trip to Knoxville. This great grandmother hasn't let anything prevent her from pursuing that dream, and wants others to know they can do it, too.

"I've had so many women tell me after hearing my story, just the fact that I live in Rhode Island and I come down to Knoxville, 'I could never do that'. I says yes you can!" she said.

"Every year I get from my friends, 'Are you coming back next year?' I said Lord willing."

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