Former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Camille Kostek are getting ready to host a special concert to honor veterans across the country. On Veterans Day, Walmart is celebrating the military community with the first Heroes & Headliners concert that includes musical acts Chris Stapleton, H.E.R. and Imagine Dragons. PopCulture.com spoke to Gronkowski and Kostek about being the emcees for the event that will take place at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa, Florida on Nov. 11.
“I feel like whenever Rob and I are asked to do something, it almost feels like it’s always going to be a really electric environment with a lot of people, music, bringing the community together, and then in this case we’ll be the emcees for Veterans Day for Walmart,” Kostek said. “So on November 11th on Veterans Day, we’ll be honoring the veterans and their families, and people can expect to just come together and have a good time and honor our veterans. It’s pretty cool to actually read through the script and see that we are the ones who get to announce Chris Stapleton to the stage and H.E.R. and Imagine Dragon so they can expect big headliner performers. So this is the first-ever Heroes & Headliners concert, so we feel really honored that we were asked to be a part of this and in a city that became home to us in Tampa. So they can expect to have a good time while remembering our heroes.”
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Gronkowski is looking forward to the event because of his continued support of the military, but he’s also ready to see Stapleton perform. “I’m a big Chris Stapleton fan. Love a couple of his hits and this concert’s just going to be surreal,” he said. “It’s just an opportunity to be an MC, which is amazing, especially for having it for Veterans Day to give back to the veterans. And I’m going to have fun just watching all the performances. There’s no doubt about it. Chris Stapleton, to hear some of his hits is going to be wild. I know the crowd’s going to be going crazy. We got H.E.R. and we got the Imagine Dragons as well, which is just insane. It’s so cool that Camille and I, we can emcee it and then just introduce these acts as well and be live right there on the stage with them. I mean, we’re front row seat. You can’t ask for a better opportunity to MC such a wonderful event by Walmart and just doing it alongside Camille, who’s an excellent host as well.”
“I just feel like we’re the perfect fit for it and we get to give back to the veterans who are the real heroes for serving our country and doing the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom,” Gronkowski continued. “So veterans, big NFL fans always there, a lot of veterans out there, big fans of myself as well coming to game days, meeting them on Sundays back in the day when I was playing. So just to be a part of that, see the headliners, hear the songs, the atmosphere is going to be electric. It’s going to be such a wonderful night, that’s for sure, in Tampa Bay.”
Gronkowski and Kostek have been dating for a long time, and giving back is a big reason why they are together. “A big part of what brought Rob and I together is the New England Patriots organization,” she said. “We actually met at a charity event, because at the time, 10 years ago, actually, what’s kind of crazy is it’ll be around Thanksgiving of this year. So just a couple weeks after Veterans Day, Rob, and it will be our anniversary of meeting each other. I think it’s pretty cool because the New England Patriots organization is really, really big about giving back and that’s a big part about Rob and I’s relationship. And I think it’s kind of a pretty cool coincidence and ironic that we met at a charitable event around, literally in November of 2013, around this time of year where it’s about being thankful and giving back and honoring our veterans on Veterans Day.”
