Toronto, Canada native Tyler Sabapathy tragically lost his life after falling from a light pole while celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles NFC Championship win this weekend.
He was an 18-year-old first-year Temple University student, and his parents mourn his tragic loss.
Highlights
- Tyler Sabapathy, a Toronto, Canada native, passed away at 18 after falling from a light pole while celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles NFC Championship win.
- He was a skilled gymnast who had won over 120 provincial, regional, and worldwide medals.
- His parents find strength and support in one another as they grieve the unimaginable loss of someone so young.
Tyler’s tragic incident occurred on Sunday night on 15th and Market Streets in Center City, Philadelphia, and he passed away on January 28, 2025.
He was above the street pole and fell onto the concrete sidewalk flat on his back, hitting his head. Later, he was taken to Jefferson Hospital with a brain injury before he passed away.
His family, friends, and Temple University community deeply felt his loss.
It is with deep sadness that we write to share news of the death of first-year student Tyler Sabapathy. Over the weekend, Tyler sustained critical injuries and ultimately passed away this afternoon. 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.
Temple University
Aside from Tyler, a second person attempted an unsuccessful backflip and is in critical condition at a hospital.
Tyler Sabapathy’s Parents Mourns The Tragic Loss
Tyler was a member of the university’s club gymnastics team, majoring in exercise and sports science. Skilled gymnasts had won over 120 provincial, regional, and worldwide medals.
He was interested in injury prevention and eventually chose to pursue this major. He had been training since he was 2 and began competing at 6.
Undoubtedly, Tyler had a bright future ahead of him, but the tragedy cut his life short.
As a gymnastics team member, he displayed exceptional self-discipline and work ethic, spending countless hours training and honing his craft every week.
Temple University encouraged students affected by the loss to seek help from Tuttleman Counseling Services, and staff can also get 24/7 support from the employee assistance program.
Nick Alessandro of Blackwood, New Jersey, saw Tyler’s fall and told CBS News,
He was trying to take down the Eagles flag from the pole, and I guess he lost his balance and then fell and then everyone swarmed toward him, but other people went away. It was a mess.
Nick Alessandro
Nonetheless, Tyler’s parents have yet to release his funeral service date. There is no doubt that his family members will deeply miss him.
Netizens hoped his parents could find strength and support in one another as they grieved losing someone so young and in such a sudden, tragic, unimaginable way.
Some fans also hoped the Philadelphia Eagles would pay for his funeral.
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Pole Climbing In Philadelphia Goes Back Years
Philadelphia police discussed the strategies they will use during the next possible celebration, which could be in just two weeks. However, they have yet to release public safety tactics.
They might grease the poles in the following events, but longtime fans don’t think greasing them is a good deterrent. There’s a grease pole climbing competition at the South 9th Street Italian Market Festival every year.
Authorities opted for different strategies for the Eagle’s celebration and used bike racks to keep people in the street while police maintained the sidewalks. However, it didn’t exactly work.
They are investigating numerous reports of other injuries throughout the night on Sunday, including shootings, a stabbing, and assaults on police officers.
Several sources have claimed that two people were shot during the celebrations in the streets. One of the fans fired gunshots into the air at Cottman and Frankford Avenues.
According to police, there were four assaults on officers, two arrests, and 31 tickets for disorderly behavior or failure to disperse. Moreover, the front of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office was vandalized.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker warned fans not to climb poles or shoot guns in the streets before the celebrations. However, Tyler, along with multiple others, climbed poles in the city.
You don’t want to be in a celebratory moment, you know, have a tragedy occur. Please don’t climb the poles.
Cherelle Parker
Additional Information
- Philadelphia Eagles scored 55 points, the most by any team in a conference championship game since the 1970 merger, against the Washington Commanders on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
- Super Bowl 59 will be held on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans and broadcast on FOX.
