An 18-year-old Temple University student has died after falling from a light pole while celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles‘ NFC Championship victory.
Tyler Sabapathy, a freshman and Toronto native, was among the thousands of fans flooding the streets of Philadelphia on Sunday after the Eagles’ dominant 55-23 win over the Washington Commanders. Video footage shows Sabapathy clinging to a street pole before losing his grip and plummeting to the concrete sidewalk. He suffered a severe brain injury and was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead two days later.
Temple University officials expressed their heartbreak over the loss. In a joint statement Tuesday, university president John Fry and vice president for student affairs Jodi Bailey called Sabapathy’s passing “both tragic and traumatic.”
“There are no words that can make sense of it, and the entire Temple community mourns his passing,” the statement read. “Our hearts go out to Tyler’s family, friends, classmates, and all who knew and loved him.”
Sabapathy was pursuing a degree in exercise and sport science at Temple’s College of Public Health. In addition to his academic achievements, he was an accomplished gymnast with more than 120 medals to his name. He was also a dedicated member of Temple’s club gymnastics team, where he was known for his self-discipline and work ethic.
“As a member of the university’s club gymnastics team, Tyler displayed exceptional self-discipline and work ethic, spending countless hours a week training and honing his craft. He was loved by his teammates, friends, and coaches here in Philadelphia,” the school’s statement continued.
Philadelphia has a history of dealing with rowdy sports celebrations, often greasing light poles to deter fans from climbing them. However, it remains unclear whether city officials took such precautions on Sunday. Reports indicate that police have since held an internal briefing to prepare for another potential celebration if the Eagles win the Super Bowl.
