If I had to guess which ESPN host would help an injured peregrine falcon, Tony Reali would be on the short list.
Through social media, Reali has been transparent about many real-life topics, making him relatable to the audience in a variety of ways. He’s been outspoken in his support for the Special Olympics, helping to overturn proposed cuts to federal funding for the organization. Maybe a bit of a renaissance man, the former PTI statistician is also a pretty talented and well-rounded musician.
So while Reali’s compassion for an injured peregrine falcon may not be a total shocker, it also wasn’t required of him to seek help for the bird.
Reali described the scene in detail to Patrick Redford of the recently launched site Defector:
I told you I’m not one for animals but I love the idea of the peregrine falcon! I go to parties all the time and ask people “What’s the fastest animal in the world?” They always say the cheetah and I always say, “AHA! NO!! THE PEREGRINE FALCON!!!! 220 miles per hour!” I guess I should say these parties are birthday parties for 6-year-olds and 6-year-olds love cheetahs, but they need to respect the peregrine falcon. And now I hear they’re the King of the Raptors?! Awesome. So now I’m geeked but also scared for her because it doesn’t look good.
She’s moved from the sidewalk to the street and now she’s NEARLY UNDER A CAR that was momentarily stopped at a light, so I go into traffic and stop the car. I tried to persuade her to move—honestly, no idea what I’m doing at this point—and that’s when she attempted to fly away but was clearly having a problem with that left wing and flew into the concrete wall of the Post Office across the street. Hit the ground hard. We didn’t think she was still alive but then she got up again and flew further down Barclay street. It was all getting sadder.
It’s a group of about five of us now. One woman called 311 and I went Defcon 1: Twitter thread. The photos got the attention of the Wild Bird Fund and then we were able to get the falcon in a box through some ingenuity from Post Office Police Officer Ho. He brought the box out and we kind of approached from multiple angles, (like the RAPTORS IN JURASSIC PARK now that I think of it! ). The box went over her head and then Officer Ho flipped it gently but quickly, like a trick a magician would do at 6-year-olds’ birthday parties to cheer up kids who just found out their precious cheetahs aren’t the fastest after all. I could feel her barely moving in the box as I carried it. I stayed with her for 15 minutes checking to make sure she was still breathing and then handed her over to NYPD Precinct 1 for the ride up to Wild Bird Fund and hoped for the best.
Speaking to panelists prior to Around The Horn, Reali noted he might not have helped the bird if it turned out to be a pigeon, but we won’t dock him any points for honesty. A recent update from the Wild Bird Fund noted the falcon has a serious head injury and they were working to stabilize her. Although this bird may have gotten lost or confused in the city, it’s not uncommon for the peregrine falcon to inhabit Manhattan.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
