**

LAKEWOOD, Colo. — **Marine Sgt. Edward Welsh could find the right words. He almost couldn't find any words at all, but "I don't know what to say" tumbled out of his mouth as he searched for something—anything—to put his thoughts the best way he could after DeMarcus Ware shocked him with an unnanounced visit during his day off from work.

"Sometimes you don't need words," Ware replied.

Ware, who has family members in the military and at one time considered joining the military, decided to take a trip to Sgt. Welsh's house as part of the Salute to Service month from USAA, the official military appreciation sponsor of the Broncos.

"I've been fortunate enough to have some family members in the military and I know how important it is to sometimes just set time aside and just show that you really care," Ware said.

Though they had arranged with his command to give him the day off, Sgt. Welsh couldn't have thought that one of the best pass rushers in recent history would be swinging by his house to meet him. Ware didn't know what reaction Sgt. Welsh would greet him with, but he was excited to see it.

"I know he's off work today, and I bet you he's wondering 'Why am I off of work?'" Ware said. "I know he's a hard worker because in the military they don't have many days off. I'm excited to see how he reacts."

With that, he then set up the steps to the front door, ringing the doorbell.

Sgt. Welsh answered the door, freezing momentarily at the sight of Ware, as well as that of the cameras to capture the moment.

Once inside with Sgt. Welsh, Ware gave him and his family gift packs, including game-issued equipment, tickets to the Dec. 28 Broncos game against Oakland for his entire family. Ware even came equipped with toys for Sgt. Welsh's two young sons.

After thanking Sgt. Welsh for his stellar service in the military—he's been in the Marines for eight years, including four deployments, earned the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat Valor Device, the Good Conduct Medal (twice) and the Combat Action Ribbon (twice)—the Broncos star defensive end took a photo with the family and offered to sign anything their hearts desired.

By the end of Ware's visit, Sgt. Welsh managed to find some of the words he was searching for earlier.

"Honestly, it's surreal. I don't really know what to say to it. It was amazing," Sgt. Welsh said.

"Just having people like that, that come out and do those things, especially somebody of his caliber and who he is, to take time out of his day, it really means a lot," he added.