When Sergei Zherdey came to Philadelphia in January seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine, the city was high on Eagles fever.
Although he had never seen a football game before, he quickly learned that cheering on the hometown team is a big part of being a Philadelphian.
Now living in Jenkintown, his love of the Philadelphia Eagles has helped him adjust to life here, writes Sapna Bansil for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Now, I see Eagles logos everywhere and I read things about them, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I know that. That’s my team,” Zherdev said through an interpreter.
Zherdev same to the United States through the emergency immigration program Uniting for Ukraine. Six Philly-area residents from the refugee services organization HIAS has been helping him settle in. For his first six months here, they covered his living expenses and helped him get housing, a job, and healthcare.
One of the members of his “welcome circle,” Rosalind Holtzman has taken upon herself to teach Zherdev about the Eagles, even taking him to Lincoln Field and teaching him the universal Philly greeting, “Go Birds!”
Read more of Zherdev’s story in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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More Philadelphia Eagles fever.
