4Ever Wild: Katie Kantrud

Both grew up playing hockey in Minnesota, from suburbs just outside the Twin Cities-a commonality they bonded over.
"It was really a matter of dumb luck," Kantrud said about the opportunity to join the Wild. "We got (season ticket membership) information through an email randomly and decided together that financially … we could and wanted to commit to it."
Both were self-proclaimed homebodies, so the goal was to get out of the house and do something they enjoyed. Little did they know it would change their lives forever.

"In the first year we were season ticket holders, we noticed that every game we went to, the same four people were sitting next to us," Kantrud recalls. "One game we started talking to them and realized we had the same ticket package and by the end of the season we were exchanging phone numbers and hoping to be next to them again the next year."
As luck would have it, the group was able to get six seats in a row again the next season. But the fun didn't stop there.
"Then we noticed the same people sitting in front of us every game, and they would always take selfies, so we started to photo bomb their pictures and decided we should meet with these new friends before games as well," Kantrud said.
Now in the past five years, the Kantruds have created a strong friendship with their seat mates that even goes beyond just games.
"The six of us have been to each other's hockey games, birthday parties, even weddings and have shared so much more together," Kantrud said.
Their membership is more than going to games and loving the sport of hockey. Their membership is about the people they get to experience everything with.
"If we hadn't joined, we would have missed out on meeting and becoming life-long friends with these six amazing individuals," said Kantrud. "That is why we will be 4Ever Wild."