As my colleague Katie Skrzek mentioned in her Feb. 1 blog, most of us at GT’s headquarters are born and bred in and around Philadelphia, Pa., and we were unabashedly rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles in this year’s Super Bowl LII.

Well, this year was our year, and the city has been full of cheer and hope since the big game. Last week, in celebration of the win, we closed our office so we could attend the Championship Parade down Broad Street and show our love for the team that finally brought the Lombardi Trophy to the City of Brotherly Love.

In the days leading up to last Thursday’s celebration, regional rail and public transit lines were pre-selling tickets, altering schedules and warning people not to drive and to plan to leave early. Hotels were sold out. Businesses, schools and other public offices closed, while some restaurants and bars (and Bud Light) offered specials and concocted celebratory drinks. There was a buzz in the air all week, with millions planning to attend.

Despite the warning, my friends and I opted to drive; train tickets sold out, and we didn’t want to be stuck in the mass exodus from the city. We hit no traffic on I-95 and parked on Columbus Boulevard, along the Delaware River, walking 15 blocks to Broad Street in South Philadelphia, about one-half mile from where the parade started. After two hours waiting, we were elated as the buses and players came by, making their way to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

After the parade passed us, we headed back to the car and to the suburbs, again a ride clear of traffic. All in all, it was a great day for the city of Philadelphia, and I was happy to be part of the joy. Fly, Eagles, fly!

— Kimberly Krol, editor in chief