Tyler Sabapathy, a national-level champion gymnast and a first-year student at Temple University, tragically lost his life on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
Tyler Sabapathy, an 18-year-old Eagles fan, climbed the light pole to watch the match but fell from it during celebrations after Sunday’s Eagles NFC Championship win.
Moreover, the tragedy happened at 15th and Market Streets in Center City, Philadelphia.
🚨BREAKING: An 18-year-old #Eagles fan celebrating fell off a pole from over 40 feet in the air has TRAGICALLY DIED.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 29, 2025
💔💔💔
Tyler Sabapathy was attending Temple University and passed away due to a severe brain injury.
Awful tragedy; thoughts and prayers to his family 🙏
(ABC) pic.twitter.com/0ThEuFSyOv
The videos of the incident circulating all over the internet show the teen above on the street pole before he fell onto the concrete sidewalk flat on his back, hiding his head.
Tyler Sabapathy was immediately taken to Jefferson Hospital after suffering from severe brain injury. Unfortunately, the Toronto native died two days after the tragic incident.
According to reports, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker warned fans not to climb poles or shoot guns in the streets before the celebrations.
Parker stated, “You don’t want to be in a celebratory moment. You know, if a tragedy occurs, please don’t climb the poles.“
Similarly, alongside Tyler Sabapathy, many other people climbed poles in the city, and at least two people were shot during the celebrations in the streets, the report states.
Nick Alessandro of Blackwood, N.J., who witnessed Tyler’s tragic fall, stated that the teen was trying to take down the Eagles flag from the pole and lost his balance, causing his fall.
Temple University Mourns The Loss Of Their Bright Student Tyler Sabapathy!
Temple University announced the tragic demise of their bright student, Tyler Sabapathy, on Tuesday through their official site.
Moreover, they mourn the loss of Tyler Sabapathy, a first-year Temple Univeristy student.
In the statement, they wrote:
“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 statement further added that the loss of a promising 18-year-old man like Tyler is both tragic and traumatic, and the entire Temple community mourns his passing.
Furthermore, in response to the post, many of Tyler’s friends and loved ones sent their heartfelt condolences to his parents, siblings, and family.
Tyler Sabapathy, a native of Toronto, Canada, was already a thriving student at Temple University’s College of Public Health.
He was majoring in exercise and sports science and was an accomplished gymnast with over 120 medals in provincial, regional, and international competitions.
Tyler finished fifth overall at the Atlantis Crown Invitational, an international competition in the Bahamas.
Similarly, his fascination with injury prevention led him to pursue his exercise and sports science education.
Tyler stated:
“After sustaining many injuries throughout my career, I have begun to understand the human body in a new way. Throughout my training, I have learned about the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that are important for proper movement. This has persuaded me to pursue a career in exercise and sports science.”
He was a member of the university’s club gymnastics team, where he displayed exceptional self-discipline and work ethic. He trained countless hours a week.
Moreover, in Canada, no universities offer a competitive gymnastics program, and the strong gymnastics program at Temple influenced his decision, said Sabapathy before his tragic demise.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Tyler Sabapathy graduated from St. Michael’s College School in June 2024. He was a star athlete at his high school.
- He was planning to compete in five events at Temple, including floor exercise, pommel horse, vault, parallel bars, and high bars.
- Tyler grew up training and competing for East York Gymnastics Club in Toronto.
- He credited his mother for spending endless hours driving him to and from the gym every week to accommodate his rigorous training schedule.