Union supporter Tim Carr sent us this story about how his trip to PPL Park for Toronto game, where he was volunteering in support of Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day before seeing the game, took an unexpected turn. Along the way, he was helped by some great Philly sports fans.

12:53pm Saturday, October 15.

I’m flipped over in a car and everyone thinks I’m dead.

Wait, let’s rewind this thing.

I volunteer for the Union. I volunteer for as many things as I can. I’m volunteering for the Special Olympics this Saturday. I believe that when you feel lucky, give back. I’m an Irish guy, and with the luck of the Irish, I find myself giving back a LOT.

So last Saturday’s game, there were some great things to be excited about. We’re volunteering for the Union and we’re handing out items for breast cancer awareness, a cause that’s near and dear to my heart. I looked forward to doing my part to volunteer, then I was going to throw on my Le Toux shirt and watch the match, because let’s face it, Le Toux was going to score. I knew it, we all knew it. I mean ten goals in his last 12 games or so (stat folks will probably correct me there)—it’s a sure thing.

So in this order it was 1)give back, 2) help out, 3) watch the goal, 4) make playoffs, 5) do happy dance.

LET’S DO THIS

I’m going to the Philadelphia Union game and I had to be in Chester by 1pm. For the first time, possibly in my life, I’m on time.  Heck, I’m EARLY. I have two other volunteers in the car with me (everyone was behind the cause and wanted to do their part) and I’m driving on Rt. 495 and about to head over to exit 13, five minutes from the stadium.

I’m doing the speed limit…I cut over, and all is good in the hood (literally all good in the hood, after all I’m in Chester).

As I hit the exit, I hit a stray patch of gravel. It was on the road right near the shoulder, but I hit the gravel at a weird angle. The car spins out, whips around….

At that point I figured “OK, we’ll skid out, take a minute,  and we’ll be good.”

But then we hit the grass…..

And flipped over like three times. By the time it stopped, I’m a little shocked, head took a knock, but I hear voices.

ANGELS

Kidding. Good Samaritans were already at my car. Something like 15 people had all stopped their cars, people dressed in Flyers and Union attire as well as regular dressed folks not looking to get to an early tailgate. They popped the door open, I popped off my seat belt and they got us (me and the Union crew) out of the car. I looked around and the three of us in the car were all OK.

The Union fans asked if we were OK, and all I could do was keep thanking them. The ambulances came and they’d even dispatched a helicopter because, looking at the wreck, they thought we were THAT MANGLED.

Seat belts saved my life. No doubt about it. The ambulance crew checked us out and said “HEY, you guys have PPL PARK shirts on, are you those, what do they call them, THE BEN BOYS?”

The police rolled in, the officer was like, “Dumb luck man. You’re lucky”

Morale of the story?

SEAT BELTS. Totally saved us.

But the thing that hit me was how quick fellow Union fans and Flyers fans, HOURS before their respective games, were so quick to pull over and help out a car full of strangers. Before they all left I shook everyone hands, thanked them so much. Good people these Philadelphia fans are.

We DID see that inevitable Sebastien Le Toux goal, though I watched it with ice on my noggin.

Thanks to the great fans. We always knew Flyer/Union fans were great and dedicated, but now we also know that they have great hearts too.

Thanks to the Union, I’ll see you in the playoffs. I’ll be the guy with the bruises on my head cheering along with those great loud “BEN BOYS”.

UPDATE: The Union offices called me on Tuesday to check on me and everyone in the accident. So, not just world class fans helped out, but world class people in the Union organization as well.