My husband and I have attended many Philadelphia Flyers games since our children went off to college.
The most recent one against the Colorado Avalanche felt magical, not just the high of a second straight win after a nine-game losing streak. There was an older lady, on the upper floor, who stole the show and captured the hearts of all 18,353 of us in attendance in a moment of pure joy.
I call her “Good Luck Grandma.”
People are showing on the big screen
In the third quarter, the Flyers led 3-1, and the audience was excited. Can they win two games in a row? During TV timeouts, cameras throughout the arena pan to the fans — parents holding babies with earmuffs aloft, kids jumping up and down and waving “My First Flyers Game!!” signs — or our beloved mascot, Gritty, in his corner of chaos, doing what Gritty does.
I love seeing people’s reactions on the big screen, and yes, sometimes I might try to wave to the camera pointed in our direction. Competing means losing myself and any worries I might have for a few hours, and everyone agrees.
With less than 10 minutes left in the third quarter, the camera spotted a woman with gray hair, glasses, and a royal blue hoodie, straight out of Central Casting. She dances on her chair, arms in the air, her bright orange Flyers microfiber towel ready to wave. The arena erupted in a unanimous commotion for the stranger.
The camera pans to Gritty and everyone boos. They then return to the woman and we watch her moment of recognition in real time, as well as the man sitting next to her who keeps pointing her out to the photographer. Her eyes lit up and she started pointing to herself and mouthing, “Oh, that’s me!” which elicited loud cheers.
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat and fought back tears as we continued to scream for her.
Everyone is excited for her
Everyone wanted more and the photographer obliged, riding six times between Tenacity, which was accompanied by boos and disappointment, and Good Luck Granny, which elicited raucous cheers, much to her and everyone’s delight. I don’t know why it made me so excited, but the feeling is still there.
After the game, fans cheered with her all the way out of the building and took photos.
Fans also went crazy for her in the comments section. In a video posted by Sports Radio 94WIP reporter Dave Uram, @anfieldcards wrote: “I was sitting next to her and her daughter and she was crying on the screen. It means so much to her. She’s 84 but she was screaming and cheering the whole game.”
That woman was the distraction I needed.
Maybe it’s because 2026 is filled with an endlessly worrying and increasingly overwhelming news cycle, as well as some personally painful moments. When my mother died in January, a few months before her 82nd birthday, I had not seen or spoken to her in 17 years. Not surprisingly, this brings with it some mixed feelings. Turning 59 this summer has also given me a lot of thoughts (because I’m a professional overthinker) about my own mortality and the state of the world that my grandchildren might face.
Yet for those three hours, where strangers come together to share an emotional experience, the game is charged with energy and becomes a comforting and healing pastime. I also believe that now more than ever we crave happy, feel-good moments, like cheering on an unsuspecting old woman in a crowded hockey arena.
So thank you, beautiful stranger, our good luck grandma, for your contagious good vibes and an experience that won’t soon be forgotten.