Originally published July 16, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified July 19, 2007 at 9:08 PM

Yankees to fly injured Kirkland fan home

New York Daily News

NEW YORK — A Kirkland fan who suffered a near-fatal injury when a man fell on him in the upper deck at Yankee Stadium, breaking the schoolteacher's neck, will fly home in style today.

Paul Robinson and his family will return home in a private plane chartered by the Yankees. Robinson was discharged Sunday from Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

"Paul is very appreciative that he'll fly home in a comfortable plane," said Robinson's wife, Kathy.

A Yankees fan who witnessed the accident said the man who fell on Robinson had been acting vulgar during the July 8 game against the Los Angeles Angels.

"The guy who fell on this poor man was drunk out of his mind," said the fan, who requested anonymity. "He was part of a group of about 12 people that came in the third inning. They drank and smoked cigarettes and talked about hot sex the entire time. It was scary to see. This poor man goes to a game thinking he's going to have a good time and some guy who is out of control nearly kills him."

Robinson, 53, was in the top tier at Yankee Stadium with his wife and their 13-year-old son, John, when the mystery fan tumbled out of a seat several rows above them.

The fan landed on Robinson, snapping his head forward so hard it broke the vertebra below Robinson's skull.

The Yankees have asked fans with information about the incident to call the team.

E-mail article Print Share

More Sports

NFL, union resume labor talks at mediator's office

UPDATE - 08:52 AM
Hundreds attend funeral for fallen Mich. player

UPDATE - 09:40 AM
Norway's Tarjei Boe wins men's biathlon at worlds

Crying is OK, but admitting it is apparently not

NEW - 08:46 AM
Tripoli ruled unsafe for international soccer

More Sports headlines...