The Philadelphia Eagles are heading back to the Super Bowl and their NFC Championship game win over the Washington Commanders set off a massive celebration Sunday night.
Tragically, a Canadian teenager lost his life during those celebrations when he fell a significant distance to the ground while climbing a light pole.
The victim has now been identified as 18-year-old Tyler Sabapathy, an 18-year-old from Toronto who was in his first year at Temple University and a member of the school’s gymnastics team.
Video of the fatal fall has been shared online but NowMedia has chosen not to include it in this story.
The local ABC News station in Philadelphia says he was rushed to Jefferson Hospital with a brain injury and was pronounced dead on Tuesday.
Temple University released a statement regarding Sabapathy’s death Tuesday night, calling it “both tragic and traumatic.”
“There are no words that can make sense of it, and the entire Temple community mourns his passing,” the statement from President John Fry and Vice President of Student Affairs Jodi Bailey read.
“Our hearts go out to Tyler’s family, friends, classmates and all who knew and loved him.”
The statement added that Sabapathy was an accomplished gymnast with over 120 medals in various high-level competitions, and “he was loved by his teammates, friends and coaches here in Philadelphia.”
The teenager graduated from St. Michael’s College in Toronto last spring and was pursuing a degree in exercise and sports science from Temple while competing for the school’s gymnastics team.
