A New Orleans terror attack survivor got a stunning surprise from the Eagles as the NFL team gifted him a Super Bowl ring.
Along with the mounted ring that included Eagles wings on each side that release from the bezel, Ryan Quigley was also given a framed photo of Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts clutching the Lombardi Trophy.
He was shocked by the surprise Sunday, another kind gesture after the franchise also treated him to a trip to the Super Bowl earlier this year.
He wore a half Eagles-half Raiders No. 18 jersey to show his support of rookie Las Vegas wide receiver Jack Bech — whose brother, Martin “Tiger” Bech, was Quigley’s close friend and was killed in the deadly French Quarter attack early on New Year’s Day.
The front of Quigley’s jersey also had a No. 7 patch to honor Tiger, who played football at Princeton.
“I told Jack and the Bech family I was rooting for the Eagles, even though I wanted Jack to do well,” Quigley said. “I wanted Jack to have a million touchdowns and the Eagles to have a million-one, that’s how I phrased it.”
Quigley added with a laugh, “Unfortunately, the Raiders didn’t score at all.”
Jack Bech had two receptions for 17 yards in another rough game all around for the Raiders, who lost 31-0 to the Eagles.
Quigley now lives in New York, where he works for an investment bank — he still rallied about 500 friends and family for a pregame tailgate in the Linc parking lot — and was moved emotionally to watch Bech play in Philadelphia.
“That was Tiger’s dream,” Quigley said. “His dream come true, especially to see him play at the Linc. It was definitely a tough and emotional day.”
Quigley also played football at Princeton and was out with Bech in New Orleans to enjoy the new year until a driver behind the wheel of a speeding pickup killed Bech and upended Quigley’s life.
The 27-year-old suburban Philadelphia native remembers only hearing second-hand accounts of the carnage around him.
Quigley suffered a list of injuries from that night: torn ACL, torn meniscus, broken nose, a gash on his forehead and facial lacerations. He needed a root canal. Rashes, bruising and a hip flexor.
Quigley talked to The Associated Press on Tuesday ahead of yet another doctor’s appointment and a scheduled fourth right knee surgery set for next month. He still needs hours of rehabilitation each week.
“I’m just battling to continue to get back to 100% as soon as I can,” Quigley said. “I feel OK. I’m walking a lot better than I was before. I’m not 100% there yet. Hopefully the surgery can do the trick. It’s definitely taxing on a day-to-day basis not to be able to do your daily routine the way that you want to.”
Quigley would have scoffed at the thought of returning to New Orleans just five weeks following the truck-ramming attack that killed 14 people and injured dozens more along Bourbon Street had it not been for the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl.
The Eagles heard of his story — some players filmed get-well messages for Quigley during his recovery — and invited him to a playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. More than a week later, Quigley, along with Bech’s sister, Ginnie, and a friend, were invited to tour the Eagles’ headquarters
The Eagles gifted Quigley two tickets for the Super Bowl. He attended the Eagles’ rout of Kansas City and was a guest in the following days at the Super Bowl parade. Quigley even stood side-by-side with Saquon Barkley when the star running back gave his victory speech.
“One thing I’ve learned from being here for a short period of time is that you guys are tough, you guys are resilient, and you guys know how to (expletive) fight,” Barkley said. “No one I know better epitomizes that more than my boy Ryan.”
Quigley keeps in touch with the Eagles and other members of the organization and leans on them for strength and inspiration as the one-year anniversary of the attack looms.
He is grateful of more life to live, even as he’s still trying to rebuild himself mentally and physically from the horrors of that night.
“I’m just trying to figure out how to move forward with life,” he said.
