College student dies after falling during Eagles celebration

Jan 29

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Craig Nigrelli Reporter

By Craig Nigrelli (Reporter), Kaleb Gillespie (Editor), Brock Koller (Executive Producer)

An 18-year-old Temple University student has died two days after celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles win over the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship game, putting the Eagles in the Super Bowl. The fan had climbed a light pole in Philadelphia’s center city and fell on Sunday evening, Jan. 26.

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How did the incident happen?

Tyler Sabapathy, 18, of Toronto, Canada, suffered brain trauma when he fell and landed on his back, causing him to hit his head. Police said he was on life support since Sunday, Jan. 26, and died on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia.

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Images obtained by the New York Post show Sabapathy on the pole at 15th and Market Street. He was a member of the Temple University Gymnastics team and also majored in exercise and sports science. A witness said he saw the 18-year-old trying to grab the Eagles flag on the pole, lose his balance and topple to the ground.

What has been the reaction?

The university issued a statement confirming the death of the student-athlete, calling it tragic and traumatic. The university also sent condolences to his family, friends and classmates.

Mayor had urged fans not to climb

Before the Eagles game with the Commanders, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker warned fans not to climb poles, as they have done in the past after big Eagles victories. She warned that a tragedy could occur.

Were there other incidents after the Eagles won?

Following the celebration on Sunday, police in Philadelphia revealed they issued 31 citations for disorderly conduct or failure to disperse and four assaults on police officers. There were also two shootings and vandalization at the Philadelphia district attorney’s office.

Tags: college students, Death, Football, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Sports, Super Bowl

AN 18-YEAR-OLD TEMPLE UNIVERSITY STUDENT HAS DIED, TWO DAYS AFTER CELEBRATING THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES WIN OVER THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS IN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PUTTING THE EAGLES IN THE SUPER BOWL. THE FAN HAD CLIMBED A LIGHT POLE, IN PHILADELPHIA’S CENTER CITY AND FELL SUNDAY EVENING.
18-YEAR-OLD TYLER SABAPATHY OF TORONTO, CANADA SUFFERED BRAIN TRAUMA WHEN HE FELL AND LANDED ON HIS BACK WHILE ALSO HITTING HIS HEAD. POLICE SAY HE WAS ON LIFE SUPPORT SINCE SUNDAY AND DIED ON TUESDAY AT JEFFERSON HOSPITAL IN PHILLY.
IMAGES OBTAINED BY THE NEW YORK POST SHOW SABAPATHY, ON THE POLE AT 15TH AND MARKET STREET. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE TEMPLE UNIVERSITY GYMNASTICS TEAM, MAJORING IN EXERCISE AND SPORT SCIENCE. A WITNESS SAYS HE SAW THE 18-YEAR-OLD TRYING TO GRAB THE EAGLES FLAG ON THE POLE, LOST HIS BALANCE AND TOPPLED TO THE GROUND.
THE UNIVERSITY ISSUED A STATEMENT CONFIRMING THE DEATH OF THE STUDENT-ATHLETE, SAYING IN PART, “ THE LOSS OF A PROMISING 18-YEAR-OLD MAN LIKE TYLER IS BOTH TRAGIC AND TRAUMATIC. THERE ARE NO WORDS THAT CAN MAKE SENSE OF IT, AND THE ENTIRE TEMPLE COMMUNITY MOURNS HIS PASSING. OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO TYLER’S FAMILY, FRIENDS, CLASSMATES AND ALL WHO KNEW AND LOVED HIM.”
BEFORE THE EAGLES GAME WITH THE COMMANDERS, PHILADELPHIA MAYOR CHERELLEPARKER WARNED FANS NOT TO CLIMB POLES, WHICH FANS HAD DONE TWO YEARS AGO WHEN CELEBRATING THE EAGLES SUPER BOWL APPEARANCE IN 2023.
SHE WARNED THAT A TRAGEDY COULD OCCUR.
FOLLOWING THE CELEBRATORY CHAOS ON SUNDAY, POLICE IN PHILADELPHIA REVEALED THEY ISSUED 31 CITATIONS FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT OR FAILURE TO DISPERSE AND FOUR ASSAULTS ON POLICE OFFICERS. THERE WERE ALSO TWO SHOOTING AND VANDALIZATION AT THE PHILADELPHIA D-A’S OFFICE.
IN THE PAST, AUTHORITIES HAVE GREASED THE STREET POLES AND LIGHT POLES, IN-ADVANCE, TO DISCOURAGE REVELERS FROM CLIMBING THEM. POLICE HAVE NOT SAID WHETHER THE POLES WERE GREASED THIS PAST SUNDAY, ADDING THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO RELEASE PUBLIC SAFETY TACTICS. I’M CN FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP