Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small saved Eagles fan’s life at Lincoln Financial Field

His tailgate was the usual generous spread of steaks and seafood skewers, prepared by Atlantic City’s own Executive Chef Sheed, Rasheed Ransome.

But Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. says what happened as the group tried to make their way to their end zone seats at Lincoln Financial Field almost derailed an otherwise perfect day.

A few days later, he received a cookie tray in his office with a thank-you note from Susan Segal-Bonavitacola, 78, of West Mount Airy, for “saving my life at the Eagles game.”

“I did something sooooo Sunday at the Eagles Game,” the mayor wrote on Instagram. “…when everyone entered the stadium. It was really a dangerous situation that got everyone stuck in… me [saw] an elderly lady and her husband in distress…”

Small, who played basketball but not football at Stockton University, did his best to block Jason Kelce, saying he told Segal-Bonavitacola and her husband to “hold tight to me and don’t let go.”

“As we navigated the crowd, I yelled at the top of my lungs to move out because I had an elderly lady with me,” Small wrote. “It took us about 15 minutes to break away but we made it and I made sure she was okay.”

Segal-Bonavitacola said in an interview Thursday that the mayor of the seaside gambling town is “my angel.”

She is 1.70 meters tall, 78 years old and has an artificial hip joint. She said the crush of people at the top of the escalator made her fear for her life. She had bought a parking permit for the M/N lots (where the Mayor’s tailgates are) and didn’t expect it to be a tailgate. She has since complained to the Eagles, who told her they are “reviewing the footage.”

Segal-Bonavitacola said she was pressed against the mayor’s chest, and he then took charge.

“I did exactly what he said and he started running away,” she said. “I just clung to it for my life. It was amazing. He was wonderful. I will remember him for the rest of my life. I said God must have sent you to me.

“I’m telling you I was so scared I really thought something really bad was going to happen.”

She said she asked him who he was once they were finally out of the scrum.

“He said, well, ‘I’m the mayor of Atlantic City,'” she said. “I said you’re my hero. I hugged him and kissed him and we both said ‘Go Birds’.”

» READ MORE: Who has the most epic Eagles tailgate spread? The Mayor of Atlantic City.

As it turns out, Segal-Bonavitacola spent a career as an assistant to former Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spectre.

A few days later, she contacted Small’s office, and on Wednesday, the mayor was greeted with a cookie tray and a thank-you note.

“Dear Mayor Small, Thank you for saving my life at the Eagles game. I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t intervened.”

“Bottom line,” said the mayor. “… always be helpful to people.”