When Pope Francis visits the city next week, part of his trip includes a motorcade through Central Park. Eighty thorusand people were the lucky recipients of tickets to that event. NY1's Roger Clark filed this report. 

Writer Vickery Eckhoff of Manhattan says she never wins anything, but this time around, she was chosen to receive a coveted pair of tickets. 

"I sometimes wait too long and tickets disappear. And I jumped right on it and applied, put my name in. And I heard back pretty quickly," Eckhoff says.

She was picked to get two tickets to view Pope Francis' procession through Central Park on September 25th during his visit to New York. 

The Pope's motorcade will travel on the park's West Drive from 72nd to 60th Street en route to Madison Square Garden where he will celebrate mass. 

For Eckhoff, a former Sunday school teacher, the idea of squeezing into the park with 80,000 others to catch a glimpse of the Pope is not only appealing, but something she is really looking forward to. 

"For me it's just really fascinating to know that a group that large has come together to listen to somebody who thinks a little differently, who's life is dedicated to God and serving people," Eckhoff says.

U.S. Army Captain William Ortega of Staten Island will also be there. To say he was thrilled to be chosen is an understatement for sure. 

"I was at work when I got the e-mail notification of being one of the winners. I couldn't yell because, of course, I was at work, but inside of me I was so excited—so glad that I was one of the winners. I mean, I told my wife about it and you know, she was excited as well as my entire family because to have the privilege to see the Pope, not everybody has that one," Ortega says.

Ortega says the chance to see the Pope up close is something he wouldn't miss for the world. 

"The Pope is representation of God here in the world, so able to see him feet away is something is spiritual, is something that is inside of me that is telling me that I'll be able to see him," says Ortega.

Ortega's second ticket to Central Park will go to his wife. Eckhoff says she will bring an old friend who she has known since elementary school.