A Chicago cancer survivor who realized life is simply too short ventured to see a match-up in any respect 124 major stadiums and arenas in North America — and set his final stop as an Islanders hockey game over the weekend.
Then he discovered something else extraordinarily special concerning the date.
Ashvin Lad,. 51, told The Post he picked Saturday’s afternoon showdown between the Long Island team and the St. Louis Blues because he liked the date of 11/22 as a “numbers nerd” — only to later learn the Islanders were celebrating a Hockey Fights Cancer event at it.
“It brings that whole post-cancer journey full circle,” said Lad, who sat with a handful of “Club 124” members at the sport to rejoice his conquest.
It had been a protracted road for the testicular cancer survivor.
“Before Dec. 31, 1999, I just had my most up-to-date round of chemo, so I used to be not feeling well, I couldn’t do any celebrations — and I’m watching your entire world rejoice the brand new millennium,” Lad recently recalled to The Post.
“I said to myself at that moment, ‘When this is finished, I’m going to go on the market and see as much of the world as I can, meet as many individuals as I can, and soak up as many experiences I can.’ “
Now he’s done that — and more, becoming only the twenty seventh recorded “Club 124” sports diehard to see each of the US’s and Canada’s baseball, hockey, basketball, and football arenas.
Lad had visited just 4 of the 124 sports spots before winning his bout with cancer — because of the identical oncologist who treated Lance Armstrong — in February 2000.
Lad, who works on partnerships for the American Medical Association, hit the bottom running that 12 months by traveling to St. Louis to observe the NFL’s LA Rams, to Indianapolis to see the NBA’s Pacers and to Nashville to observe the NHL’s Predators.
“Every time I travel for work and there’s a game occurring. I might just go to a game. If I were traveling for vacation, and a game was occurring, I’d go,” Lad said of his leisurely starting pace.
He only learned of “Club 124” — an organized group where members keep track of their stadium visits — within the 2010s after meeting a fellow journeyman within the Windy City.
“I said, I can’t imagine it is a real thing. I’m really going to go do that, make a concerted effort and begin planning,’ ” Lad said.
The cancer survivor said he had relative “flexibility” and not using a wife or children — plus a handy lifetime $100,000 — to tour the sports world.
Down in front!
Lad said he enjoyed his share of memorable sports moments over time, similar to Super Bowl XLVII in Latest Orleans in 2013 and Yankee Aaron Judge’s first-ever home run in 2016.
Later that 12 months, Lad saw the Chicago Cubs’ three home World Series games at Wrigley Field, where he’s a season ticket-holder with a beloved repute for helping kids with their homework on the ballpark.
He reached around 74 stadiums — sitting in a wide range of seats from field level to the rafters — within the 2020s, then really poured it on into the house stretch.
“September of 2022, I did a Thursday night football game — Chargers vs. Chiefs in Kansas City. I flew home Friday morning, went to work. after which I flew to Pittsburgh on Saturday, went to the Steelers game on Sunday, after which went to Buffalo for a Monday night Bills game,” Lad said.
“Then I flew home very first thing Tuesday morning to go to work.”
Lad’s planning paid off, as he became an authority at “doubling up,” often catching baseball, basketball and hockey on the identical day or inside 24 hours of one another.
“I even did an Eagles game in Philadelphia at one o’clock after which drove to Baltimore for a Sunday night Ravens vs. Patriots game,” he said.
Lad said he feels he achieved something great now.
“I desired to have a greater life than I did. I used to be very wired all the time. … Now I’ve done that,” he said.
Lad’s must-stop stadiums
- Sofi Stadium, Los Angeles
- UBS Arena, Long Island
- PNC Park, Pittsburgh
- Wrigley Field, Chicago
- Bell Centre, Montreal
- Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
- Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
- Intuit Dome, Los Angeles
- Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
- PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh
