Positive News: 66-Year-Old Man Fulfills Lifelong Dream And Becomes Oldest Member Of Lsu Marching Band (Watch)

66-Year-Old Man Fulfills Lifelong Dream And Becomes Oldest Member Of Lsu Marching Band (Watch)

The dream never died, even after a wife and daughters and decades-long career as an accountant filled up every aspect of Kent Broussard’s life.

Somewhere deep in his mind, the dream still survived. Now 66, he still remembers when it first took root in 1968, as a nine-year-old attending his first Louisiana State University football game.

“The Golden Band from Tigerland” marched onto the field playing songs that rang out in the Louisiana air. The music and movement and pageantry of the college football band struck a permanent chord with Kent.

Someday, I want to be in that band.

He never forgot that feeling. So as Kent approached retirement as an accountant, the Baton Rouge resident considered his next move. The dream still lingered, so he made an announcement to his family to reveal his future plans.

I am going back to school at LSU. And I am trying out for the band.

The first step was re-learning the tuba. It had been about a half-century since he played the instrument regularly, so he had a lot of work to do. He dove head-first into practice and filled his neighborhood with the booming bass notes as he marched down his street. (See the video below from Steve Hartman and CBS News.)

Kent also started strength training, working out with a weighted vest and running about 25 miles a week to prep for the rigors of a marching band.

Next, the senior enrolled in LSU, chasing his dream onto the campus by taking 12 credit hours alongside students nearly five decades younger.

The marching band try-outs were in early August and he gave it his all. He just needed to wait until the results were announced to find out if he could chase his dream onto the legendary football field.

“There was a countdown in the Tuba room… 30 seconds, 15 seconds, 10 seconds and right at 7pm (the marching band list) came out,” Broussard told WAFB. “Thirty to forty people were jumping up and down saying I made it…” (Pictured above)

Kent had made the band, becoming the oldest member of the squad by 41 years.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LSU & ALL THINGS BR (@batonrougebkm)

Last Saturday, he took the field in his royal purple and gold uniform, holding the tuba in his hands. Songs and stadium cheers rang out in the Louisiana air—and some of them were from his wife and daughters in attendance.

More Seniors With New Dreams: ‘Shy’ Senior Lands Modeling Career at 70 After Stranger’s Instagram Post Goes Viral

Amidst all the music and movement and pageantry that had enchanted him as a child, perhaps there were a few fans who started dreaming dreams of their own.

“People they can use this as an example — your only failure is not trying.” Broussard said. “If you don’t try, you won’t get there.”