The heartache caused by the deadly New Year’s Day terror attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans continues to reverberate throughout the community, especially for the family and friends of the 14 victims, including Lafayette native Tiger Bech. Tiger, a former student and football player at St. Thomas More in Lafayette, was tragically killed in the attack, which also wounded his best friend, Ryan Quigley. The Philadelphia Eagles, a team close to Quigley’s heart, are now playing a central role in helping him honor his late friend and rewrite the painful chapter that was marked by tragedy.
The Eagles extended a remarkable gesture of support to Quigley by inviting him to attend Super Bowl LVII as their special guest. This act of kindness came at a time when Quigley had mixed emotions about returning to New Orleans, the place where he and his friend experienced such a life-altering event. However, the Eagles’ invitation gave him a renewed sense of purpose, an opportunity to find healing, and a chance to rewrite a painful story into something more uplifting. As Quigley reflects on the opportunity to attend the Super Bowl, he recognizes that it would have been something Tiger would have wanted for him.
“I had no desire to go back to somewhere that, you know, brought so much… brought the worst thing they could ever imagine into my life,” Quigley said in an emotional statement. “But then, I thought about it, with the Eagles giving me the opportunity to go back and kind of rewrite this story. I was like, you know, Tiger would want me to go. Tiger would want me to have a good time, and, you know, to be able to rewrite the story, not to let evil win. I mean, we’re kind of taking our power back and saying, like, you know, you’re not, you’re not going to defeat us. And then, so, we’re going back to New Orleans, and hopefully, leave on a positive note, and hopefully, ‘The Birds’ win for sure.”
For Ryan Quigley, the trauma of the attack was not only personal but also deeply intertwined with the loss of his best friend. He and Tiger, who had been inseparable during their time at Princeton University, played on the football team together. Their shared memories of playing sports, including their days at St. Thomas More and Princeton, have left Quigley with both profound grief and the need to carry on Tiger’s legacy. The gesture from the Eagles, who have been a significant part of Quigley’s life, allowed him to find some comfort and strength in a difficult time. It’s not just about football; it’s about remembering the man who shaped so many of Quigley’s happiest moments and the opportunity to honor Tiger’s memory in a meaningful way.
The tragedy that occurred on Bourbon Street left New Orleans and the world reeling. While the survivors of that attack have carried the weight of the incident in their own ways, Quigley’s decision to revisit the city, despite the pain, represents a sense of resilience and the power of moving forward. “We’re kind of taking our power back,” he emphasized. By going back to New Orleans for the Super Bowl, Quigley isn’t just confronting the trauma of that day, but he’s also embracing the spirit of defiance and the importance of cherishing the good memories that Tiger’s life offered to those who knew him. It’s about showing that despite the evil that attempted to steal their happiness, love, brotherhood, and triumph still have a place in their story.
Tiger Bech’s legacy goes beyond the loss of his life; it’s also about the lives he touched, including the lasting bond he shared with Ryan Quigley. Both men’s shared experiences at Princeton were built on a foundation of camaraderie, friendship, and mutual respect. It’s a bond that remained intact even after the tragedy struck, and Quigley’s decision to honor his friend by embracing the invitation to the Super Bowl speaks to the enduring nature of that friendship. The support of the Philadelphia Eagles, through their invitation to Quigley, is a beautiful reminder of the ways sports and kindness can intertwine, helping people heal from unfathomable pain and reconnecting them to something greater than themselves.
For the Lafayette community, Tiger Bech’s memory will live on not just through the sadness of his untimely death but through the stories shared by those who loved him. His family, friends, and teammates from both Lafayette and Princeton will carry the torch of his memory, celebrating his life and the joy he brought to those around him. For Quigley, attending the Super Bowl is a symbolic way to honor Tiger and to show that, while the pain of his loss will never disappear, it can be transformed into something positive and empowering.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ gesture is just one example of how sports, at their best, can be a source of healing and connection during the most difficult times. In offering this experience to Ryan Quigley, the Eagles provided him with a chance to reflect on Tiger’s life, pay tribute to his memory, and move forward with a sense of purpose and resilience. As Quigley and the Eagles head to the Super Bowl, the significance of the event transcends sports—it’s about friendship, memory, and showing that even in the face of tragedy, there’s always room for hope and renewal.
As Quigley prepares for the Super Bowl, his words serve as a powerful reminder of the strength that comes from overcoming adversity and finding joy again after deep loss. It’s not just about rewriting a story, but about reclaiming the narrative, showing the world that love and memory can outlast tragedy, and honoring those who were lost with dignity and pride. Tiger Bech may no longer be with us, but his spirit lives on in the hearts of those who loved him—and in the resilience of his best friend, Ryan Quigley, who now faces the world with a renewed sense of hope and determination.
