PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley would possibly strike concern within the hearts of NFL opponents, but it surely seems the Philadelphia Eagles star is a very nice man.
And Rachel Panek has the gold medal to show it.
Roll again the clock to a Pennsylvania highschool observe meet in 2015 when Panek was a sophomore hurdler for Saucon Valley Excessive and Barkley was a senior sprinter for Whitehall, which was internet hosting the Colonial League championships.
There, a friendship was cast, and Barkley, who’s presently assembling one of many biggest particular person seasons in NFL historical past, confirmed a generosity and humility that has been his hallmark off the sector.
“His humbleness and charisma shined through,” mentioned Panek, 25, now a nurse at a burn intensive care unit at a Dallas hospital.
Barkley, who this season grew to become the ninth participant in league historical past to hurry for two,000 yards, is one step away from the Tremendous Bowl. The Eagles play host Sunday to the Washington Commanders within the NFC championship sport.
Right here’s how the encounter on the observe meet unfolded:
Panek glided to victory within the 100-meter hurdle finals, however there was a problem with the clock and the race needed to be rerun. The rivals got 40 minutes to organize for the make-up race.
“There was a shock factor,” she mentioned. “But I had to get in the mind set of putting it behind me. There was nothing we could do about it. I still had other events, high jump and such. It was like rinse, repeat and try to stay warm.”
“It was the most thoughtful gift that somebody could give to a stranger, seeing the despair and heartache I was going through after my race.”
— Rachel Panek, on Saquon Barkley giving her his medal
Subsequent up was the boys’ 100-meter-dash finals, and since Panek and Barkley have been utilizing the identical lane, it was her duty to carry down his metallic beginning blocks for him. They didn’t know one another.
“When it was time for his race I said, ‘Good luck. Go get ‘em out there.’ I gave him either a fist pound or a very casual handshake. He said thank you and reminded me to make sure I held the blocks very hard because he pushes off very hard. I said, ‘Don’t worry I got you.’”
Not surprisingly, Barkley, who was headed to Penn State on a soccer scholarship, exploded out of the blocks and received the race.
Panek’s do-over didn’t go as easily. Early within the race, her trailing knee caught a hurdle, which tipped over into the neighboring lane. In consequence, she was disqualified.
The Eagles’ Saquon Barkley (26) leaves Lincoln Monetary Subject with a soccer in hand after a playoff win over the Rams. He handed the commemorative NBC soccer to the younger son of the gear supervisor.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
“It was a monstrous feeling of defeat and almost deception,” she recalled, “because it’s like I won the race but now I didn’t. Luckily at the end of the day it was just a medal I was losing.”
Think about her delight later within the meet when Barkley offered her along with his gold medal.
“It was the most thoughtful gift that somebody could give to a stranger, seeing the despair and heartache I was going through after my race,” she mentioned. “To be so forthcoming in giving up his accomplishment because he felt I deserved it.”
The 2 stayed related in an informal manner on-line, and would see one another once more when Barkley returned to the league championship meet a yr later as a particular visitor and offered Panek with a medal for profitable a special race.
A decade later, they aren’t in shut contact, though Panek texted him a congratulations be aware when Barkley’s daughter was born.
As for that gold medal that was gifted?
“I plan to frame it,” Panek mentioned. “I’m still an apartment renter, but once I get a home of my own I’m going to put it on the wall.”
In fact, she’ll be glued to Sunday’s sport.
“Eagles fans have a passion like no other,” she mentioned. “He has the support of the city, and the fans are behind him.”
