A joyful New York Knicks championship parade took a dramatic turn when fans and an off-duty EMT helped rescue a man who appeared to suffer an overdose near the parade route.
The incident happened during the Knicks’ historic ticker-tape parade in Lower Manhattan, where massive crowds gathered to celebrate the team’s first NBA title in 53 years.
According to reports, a man became unconscious near the World Trade Center subway station as fans packed the streets around the parade. The moment quickly turned serious as people nearby realized he needed urgent medical help.
A bystander identified as Peter Shrieve-Don reportedly noticed the man in distress and tried to alert authorities. When help did not arrive quickly enough, he climbed onto a structure to reach the man.
Off-duty EMT Simone Kelly then joined the rescue effort. Reports said she administered Narcan and performed sternum rubs as fans watched anxiously from below.
Video from the scene showed a tense crowd gathered around the rescue area as people worked together to move the man toward waiting paramedics.
The man was eventually carried down and placed in the care of emergency responders. His condition was not immediately clear.
The rescue quickly went viral online, with many people praising the quick actions of Kelly, Shrieve-Don and other fans who helped during the emergency.
The dramatic moment stood out during an otherwise celebratory day for New York. The Knicks parade brought huge crowds to the Canyon of Heroes as players, coaches, celebrities and lifelong fans celebrated the franchise’s long-awaited championship.
City officials had prepared for one of the largest sports celebrations in New York history, with thousands of police officers deployed along the route and viewing areas filling up early in the morning.
While the parade was filled with music, confetti and celebration, the rescue served as a reminder of how quickly large public events can become dangerous when medical emergencies happen in packed crowds.
For many fans, the moment showed another side of New York: strangers stepping in to help someone in crisis.
