CHICORA — Talk about an early Christmas present.

Darek Horton, 23, a 2012 Karns City graduate who has been serving in the Air Force for five years, received one Saturday night, courtesy of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Horton was honored as the Penguins’ Hometown Hero prior to the team’s game against Anaheim at PPG Paints Arena. He and his wife, Butler graduate Sarah Monks Horton, received two complimentary tickets to the game.

Horton stood next to Jeff Jimerson on the ice while the latter sang the national anthem. He rode on the Zamboni while it cleaned the ice between periods.

When Jimerson closed the anthem with “home of the brave,” he pointed at Horton.

“I was bawling,” Sarah said. “It was incredible. Darek is so proud to put that uniform on every day.”

“When he pointed at me while singing that ... It took my breath away. I felt so proud,” Horton said.

A huge Penguins fan, Horton’s closet is “filled with about 25 Penguin shirts and six Penguin jerseys,” his wife said. He wore a Kris Letang No. 58 jersey to the game.

The couple had dated for six years before getting married. They live on Scott Air Force base in Illinois, approximately 20 minutes from St. Louis.

When the Penguins play in St. Louis, Horton is in the stands.

“Hockey is everything to me,” he said. “Whenever they come here, I go to the game. This (Saturday) was only my second home game.”

“He’s not afraid to wear his Penguin stuff in St. Louis,” his wife said, laughing. “He’s got that black and gold on while sitting in a sea of blue and he sits there proudly.”

The same way he serves his country.

“I wanted to do something big with my life,” Horton said of his decision to join the Air Force. “I wanted to leave Butler County, see how far I could go with my life.

“I haven’t been deployed yet. I plan to stay in the Air Force until they throw me out.”

The Hortons found out about the Penguins’ Hometown Hero program on the team’s website. The team honors a military person or first-responder at every home game.

Part of the application process is writing a letter in 200 words or less detailing why the person should be honored by the team.

“We knew we were going to be home over Christmas and for that game,” Sarah said of Dec. 23. “We figured we had to go for it.

“I wrote about how much Darek loves serving his country, how proud he is to put on that uniform, and how big a Penguin fan he is. We’re both huge fans.

“I mentioned how we live in Blues country and support the Black and Gold regardless.”

They got word five days before the game that Horton was selected as that night’s Hometown Hero.

“The entire experience was awesome, a night I’ll never forget,” Horton said. “Riding on the Zamboni, going over top of the Penguin logo was such a unique perspective.

“Sarah said I was on the Jumbo-tron while riding the Zamboni. People were pointing, cheering ... It was fantastic. I will always be grateful for the Penguins’ hospitality and the way we were treated.”