PHOENIX — Sometimes you are just in the right place at the right time.
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Jesse Luketa got a flat tire on his way to a game on Nov. 26. His 2019 BMW didn't have a spare tire and Luketa knew he couldn't drive the car to the game.
He started to get worried about being late for work. The Cardinals are required to be at the stadium by 12 p.m. Luketa was 30 minutes away and said if he waited for someone from the team to leave the stadium and come pick him up or for roadside assistance, he wouldn't have made it on time.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Jesse Luketa de los Arizona Cardinals le devolvió el favor a una familia luego de que se le ponchara la llanta de su coche
"I’m thinking, my heart starts beating, I’m about to be late," Luketa said. "I’m calling who I need to call to let them know this is the situation."
But then, Luketa looked to his right and saw a man wearing a Cardinals #21 Patrick Peterson jersey pumping gas with his wife and kids, who were also wearing Cardinals gear, in the car.
"It looks like they’re going to the stadium, so I’m like, I have absolutely nothing to lose," Luketa said. "(I) put my window down, I just yell out, 'Are you guys going to the stadium?' He looks at me a little crazy, he’s like, 'Yeah.' I’m like, 'I’m a player. I’ve got a flat tire, can you guys help me out? I need a ride to the stadium.' (He) walks back to his car, talks to his wife, he’s like, 'Heck yeah! C’mon!'"
Luketa hopped into the front passenger seat in the family's Infiniti, leaving his car at the gas station, and they drove to State Farm Stadium in enough time for Luketa not to be late.
"We made it happen, had a great, great drive over there. We were talking ball, talking about my college experience going to Penn State.
That family was the Phillips family. On Thursday, the Cardinals posted a video to their social media platforms showing Luketa gifting the family some gear and inviting them to watch the team take on the 49ers.
The family was spotted on the sidelines taking a photo with Luketa, they received more Cardinals gear and got to meet some of the players.
Luketa said the family is a godsend and that this is something he will always remember.
"It’s definitely one for the books," Luketa said. "This is the type of stuff that only happens to me. Like, I don’t know anyone else who it happened to. But, extremely grateful and forever indebted to them."
Sports
Watch more of the latest sports videos on the 12News YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe!
