Pacers fan harassed in New York arrives in Indy on invite from Tyrese Haliburton

INDIANAPOLIS -- Hans Perez might be one of the most popular Pacers fans on the internet right now. The lifelong Pacer fan and New York City firefighter got caught in the middle of a viral video.




Before the Eastern Conference Finals series between the Pacers and Knicks started, Perez was harassed on the streets of New York for wearing a Tyrese Haliburton Pacers jersey. A video caught what happened showing people throwing trash bags at Perez as he tried to escape their attention.




"They were real persistent," Perez said. "They didn't want to give up, they were on me for blocks."




The entire time, Perez doesn't try to fight back.




"That's not me," Perez said. "That's not what I should do, that's not right. Just try to stay calm, deescalate the situation as much as I could."




The video and Perez's restraint caught the eye of Pacers star Point Guard Tyrese Haliburton. Perez and his favorite player were connected through Pat McAfee on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN.




On the program, Haliburton offered to fly Perez and his wife to Indianapolis for game four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Haliburton said he would pay for the fight, the tickets and the hotel.




"Somebody with as much going on as he has going on, to reach out to little old me from just one video, that shows he's a great person," Perez said.




Perez said his life has been a whirlwind since the viral video, and it's led to his arrival in Indianapolis on Tuesday morning. At the airport, he was greeted by the Indianapolis Fire Department and given a ride to his hotel in one of the firetrucks.




"I support these guys and I love the fire service," said Perez. "From New York fire service to all the way out here, I support it and I respect it big time."

Once he and his wife Crystal arrived at the Bottleworks Hotel in downtown Indy, they found Boomer, the Pacemates, Pacers executives and more firefighters waiting for them.




"I'm just taking it in minute by minute at this point," Perez said with a smile on his face.




From there, Pacers Executive Vice President Joey Graziano said the organization has the day planned out for Perez. He and his wife will be treated to dinner at Commission Row, get a VIP tour of Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the Pacers plan to introduce Perez to his fellow Pacer fans during Game 4. It'll be Perez's first time at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.




"It's going to mean everything to me and I'm gonna soak it all up," he said.




Perez is still wearing the Tyrese Haliburton jersey he was wearing in the viral video, despite a few tears on it now. He said he plans to frame the jersey after his Indy trip.





via: https://fox59.com/sports/pacers/pacers-fan-harassed-in-new-york-arrives-in-indy-on-invite-from-tyrese-haliburton/