Terror attack survivor returns to New Orleans to attend Super Bowl in honor of best friend

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Montgomery County native, who was injured in the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day, is headed back to Louisiana for the Super Bowl.

Ryan Quigley will fly from Philadelphia to New Orleans on Friday with excitement and nerves. He said he is attending the game to honor his best friend, Tiger Bech, who was killed in the attack.

"I'm going back to New Orleans to rewrite this story and leave New Orleans on a positive note," Quigley told Action News reporter Caroline Goggin on Thursday.

READ MORE: Princeton grad injured in terror attack surprised with tickets to Super Bowl

Quigley spoke to Goggin in Philadelphia, where he has been rehabbing for several weeks. He said his physical therapy has been going great, with progress being made every day.

The sport of football is what initially linked Quigley and Bech.

Quigley, a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, was a star running back at Lansdale Catholic High School. He went on to play at Princeton University, where he met Bech.

In fact, Bech was the first person Quigley met at Princeton while on their official visit in December 2015.

Quigley described Bech as "spontaneous" and "full of energy."

"Anyone he met, he made them feel like he was their best friend," Quigley explained. "He had a special quality that he made every person feel like they were the most important person in the world."

Quigley quickly became best friends and teammates with Bech. When they graduated college, they moved to New York City together.

"Tiger and I lived together. We worked together. We spent every second of life with each other... We were best friends."

A few days after Christmas, Quigley traveled to Louisiana to spend time with Bech and his family. They spent several days duck hunting near Bech's hometown of Lafayette before traveling to New Orleans for New Year's Eve. They were set to fly home to New York on New Year's Day.

The pair was on Bourbon Street early in the morning, when an Army veteran drove around a barricade and into a crowd of people.

"We were turned to the side, having a conversation, and I got hit by the truck," Quigley said.

"I did talk to the medic, who was with me on the street, because I was awake, but I don't remember any of it because I was in shock."

Quigley said he was bleeding profusely from his head, his fibula was broken, and both his ACL and meniscus were torn. He was rushed to the hospital.

Fourteen people, including Bech, were killed in the terrorist attack.

"I miss him dearly every day, but I know he's with me," Quigley said. "I've seen hundreds and hundreds of signs that he's here, and he's just behind an invisible veil watching over me."

Since Bech's passing, Quigley has felt an outpouring of support from the community, especially the Philadelphia Eagles organization.

The team invited him to their divisional round game against the Rams in January.

Last week, he was invited to the team facility, where Brandon Graham presented him with tickets to the Super Bowl.

While Quigley grew up an Eagles fan, Bech was raised a Cowboys fan. However, after several years of friendship, Quigley converted Bech - teaching him to love the Birds.

"I took him to every game two years ago, and we had so much fun. He was truly a huge Eagles fan," he said.

"I made a promise to Tiger that I would take him to the Super Bowl if we made it this year, so the fact that the Eagles are making that happen is truly so special."

If the Eagles are to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, Quigley said he will send Bech a text to let him know he's thinking of him.

"I'll be super happy that they won," he said. "But I'll definitely have Tiger in the back of my mind saying that they did it for him."

Although he can longer hear Bech's voice, Quigley said he knows his best friend, who he described as his other half, is still with him every second of every day.

"I'm just super blessed to have the best man I've ever met to be my guardian angel for life."

Quigley ended his interview with Goggin by talking about how close Bech was with his family. He said his best friend's dream was to see his younger brother, Jack, play in the NFL.

"The only thing I would want everyone to know is that Tiger's dreams will be fulfilled by what Jack's doing, and Jack is doing it all in honor of Tiger."

And, when the NFL Draft happens this April, Quigley said Bech will have the best seat in the house.