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When a Philadelphia couple’s special Christmas wreath was stolen from their front door, there was only one individual who could salvage their holiday cheer. Someone big and jolly, with a long white beard, a big red hat … and orange fur and wild googly eyes.
This is the story about how Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, helped save Christmas. As only Gritty could.
Dan Jackson and Tim Popp started dating around Thanksgiving 2019 and became a “true pandemic love story” after moving in together in South Philly. They’re both Flyers fans, although Jackson is more of a die-hard. He’s also the more creative of the two when it comes to holiday decor, having created a Gritty ornament two Christmases ago and then a Gritty wreath for their front door this year.
Popp loved the wreath — bright orange with massive eyes and a Santa hat — but was immediately concerned. “It was too beautiful and too unique,” he said, “it was going to be stolen.”
Jackson made it on a Saturday night. It hung on their door for just over a week. The following Monday, Popp took their dog Franklin for a walk at 7 a.m. and the wreath was there. By the time Jackson left for work an hour later, it was gone.
The couple belongs to a Facebook group called South Silly that’s populated by their neighbors. Jackson wrote a message in the group that, while not accusatory, let the neighborhood know that someone had filched their Gritty wreath. “I had a homemade wreath on my door and now it seems to be missing,” he wrote, “if anyone sees it or knows anything, please let me know.”
A Philadelphia reporter made a screenshot of the post and put it on Twitter, declaring that “only in Philly would something like this happen.” Eventually, news of the theft found its way to Gritty, who tweeted: “Gritizens and internet sleuths alike, the case of the stolen Gritty wreath is in your hands now. Don’t let me down.”
Jackson and Popp received direct messages from Gritty on Instagram. “All of the language was in…
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Source : espn
