PHILADELPHIA, PA – It’s no secret Philadelphia sports fans get bad raps. Often denounced as boisterous, angry, and inebriated loudmouths, Philly fans are the target of many jokes in the sports world.
But when situations like what happened after the Birds’ win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday in the season opener, it shows the critics that Philly fans are among the nation’s most passionate and dedicated to the teams and one another, as two fans helped a fellow fan spread the ashes of his since-passed father, who was a former season ticket holder.
Ryan Banks posted a video on Facebook Friday after Thursday’s win of himself helping the fellow Eagles fan.
Banks sad in his post that he and his brother saw a man sitting behind them who was spreading ashes on a stadiums seat in Lincoln Financial Field after the eagles 18-12 win over Atlanta.
Banks asked the man what he was doing, and he told the brothers his father passed away shortly after seeing the Eagles Super Bowl victory and that he really wanted to get his dad’s ashes on the field but settled for putting them on his dad’s seat.
Banks then spoke to staff at the game, who said they would not allow them to spread the ashes on the field.
When the staffer was speaking to Banks, Banks poured a small amount of the ashes onto the field and walked away.
“I didn’t want to disrespect you, I just wanted to respect his father,” Banks said to the staffed. “That’s all I wanted to do, it’s love, we Eagles fans.”
LAST NIGHT ME AND MY BROTHER @phillyjuan SAT FRONT ROW AT THE EAGLES SEASON OPENING GAME. WE HAD A BALL TO SAY THE LEAST. AT THE END OF THE GAME WE NOTICED A GENTLEMAN BEHIND US SPREADING ASHES ON ONE OF HIS SEATS. HE COULD TELL WE WERE WONDERING WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE TOLD US THAT THE SEAT BELONGED TO HIS FATHER, A SEASON TICKET HOLDER, THAT PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR SHORTLY AFTER FINALLY WITNESSING THE EAGLES WIN THE SUPER BOWL. HE TOLD US THAT HE REALLY WANTED TO PUT SOME OF HIS ASHES ON THE FIELD, BUT HE FELT RELUCTANT TO DO IT FOR FEAR OF POSSIBLY GETTING IN SOME TYPE OF TROUBLE. THE STORY WAS TOUCHING AND IT MOVED ME. I FELT INSPIRED AND IT MOTIVATED ME TO HELP THIS MAN FINISH WHAT HE STARTED AND HAVE HIS POP’S ASHES TOUCH THE EAGLES FIELD. WE WERE WAY TOO CLOSE AND I WOULD HAVE APPRECIATED IF SOMEONE DID THE SAME FOR ME. THEY TOLD ME NO BUT I DID IT ANYWAY. I HAVE LOVE FOR MY CITY AND THE PEOPLE IN IT AND I HAVE LOVE FOR OUR FOOTBALL TEAM AND IT’S FANS. SPREAD LOVE. E-A-G-L-E-S‼️????❤️ #philadelphiaeagles #eagles #birdgang #ganggreen #superbowlchamps #flyeaglesfly #fighteaglesfight #philly #philadelphia #love #spreadlove
Posted by Ryan Banks on Friday, September 7, 2018