An 84-year-old Philadelphia grandmother went from casual hockey fan to arena celebrity in a matter of minutes during the Flyers’ 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Marjorie Derieux drew thousands of cheers every time she popped up on the video board, and by the time she left Xfinity Mobile Arena, strangers were lining up for photos, conversations, and in one case, a kiss.
A Jumbotron Moment Nobody Saw Coming
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Derieux appeared on the arena video board during a stoppage in play, and the crowd reaction was immediate. Every time the camera cut back to her, the arena erupted, and fans reportedly even booed when the camera switched to Gritty instead of back to her. The Flyers themselves had plenty to celebrate that night too, holding on for a 3-2 win over the Avalanche at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday, Oct. 19, according to NHL.com.
Derieux is a Philadelphia native whose love of sports goes back to early childhood, when her father took her to baseball and football games around age 6, the same report notes. She wasn’t even supposed to be the center of attention that night. Her daughter, Linda Richardson, and Richardson’s husband are half-season Flyers ticket holders, and Richardson brings her mother along to games whenever her husband stays home.
From the Bathroom Line to a Roaring Crowd
Richardson said she was in the bathroom when she heard the crowd roar, unaware at the time that her mother was the reason. When she returned, fans told her that her mother had scored, in the sense that Derieux had become the unofficial star of the night. Richardson described her mother as happy, smiling, and laughing with everyone around her as the attention built.
Fans wanted pictures, conversations, and opportunities to congratulate Derieux once the game wrapped up. One man asked if he could give her a kiss, then kissed her on the lips twice, the Inquirer reported. The scene slowed down the family’s exit considerably: Richardson estimated it took roughly 45 minutes to an hour just to leave the arena, followed by another 20 minutes to reach her truck in the parking lot.
Good Luck Granny Goes Viral
A fellow fan recorded the moment and passed the footage along to Richardson, and videos of Derieux soon began circulating online, earning her the nickname “Good Luck Granny” on social media, per the same report. Jennifer Cannon, a Flyers partial season-ticket holder who watched the moment unfold from seats near the ice, said Derieux won everybody over. A separate account posted to AOL described the atmosphere from a fan’s perspective, recalling roughly 18,000 hockey fans cheering for a stranger and booing the team’s mascot whenever the camera cut away from her.
For her part, Derieux thanked the cheering fans and said the whole experience was unforgettable. She told the Inquirer she felt like a movie star that night, and added that it’s something she’ll remember for the rest of her life. For one Monday night in Philadelphia, an 84-year-old grandmother outshined the home team’s mascot — and maybe the game itself.
