Cancer Survivor Completes Thrilling Stadium Tour Across North America, Leaving a Lasting Impression on Long Island.
After years of battling testicular cancer, Ashvin Lad, 51, has finally completed his ambitious journey to visit all 124 major sports stadiums in North America. In a poignant finale to this incredible odyssey, the Chicago resident attended an Islanders hockey game at UBS Arena on Long Island, surrounded by fellow enthusiasts who make up the exclusive "Club 124" group.
Lad's remarkable quest began in 2000, just months after he emerged victorious from his battle with cancer. Emphasizing that life was too short to waste, he vowed to explore every aspect of the world possible and connect with as many people as he could along the way. With relative freedom and a substantial financial cushion courtesy of his oncologist – who also treated Lance Armstrong – Lad embarked on this extraordinary adventure.
Over the years, Lad's itinerary was meticulously planned, allowing him to visit multiple stadiums in a short span of time by employing what he called "doubling up" strategy. His enthusiasm for catching baseball, basketball, and hockey games on the same day or within 24 hours became one of his notable accomplishments during this journey.
However, it is not just the sheer number of stadiums Lad visited that makes his story remarkable but also the serendipitous events he experienced throughout his travels. One such instance was when he arrived at UBS Arena to catch an Islanders game and discovered that the event he attended coincidentally shared the same date – November 22nd, or '11/22' as a numbers enthusiast would call it.
This extraordinary coincidence is especially meaningful for Lad given the date's historical significance. Just like 11/9 (September 11), which has taken on cultural resonance over the years, 11/22 may evoke memories of another pivotal event – the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
The completion of his journey brings a sense of closure to this remarkable tale of perseverance and dedication. In an exclusive interview with The Post, Lad reflected that his odyssey had indeed left him feeling accomplished but most importantly, content.
'I wanted to have a better life than I did,' he said, 'I was very stressed out always... Now I've done that.'
The legacy of Ashvin Lad's incredible journey is now etched in the history books as just one more testament to the resilience and determination that define the human spirit.
After years of battling testicular cancer, Ashvin Lad, 51, has finally completed his ambitious journey to visit all 124 major sports stadiums in North America. In a poignant finale to this incredible odyssey, the Chicago resident attended an Islanders hockey game at UBS Arena on Long Island, surrounded by fellow enthusiasts who make up the exclusive "Club 124" group.
Lad's remarkable quest began in 2000, just months after he emerged victorious from his battle with cancer. Emphasizing that life was too short to waste, he vowed to explore every aspect of the world possible and connect with as many people as he could along the way. With relative freedom and a substantial financial cushion courtesy of his oncologist – who also treated Lance Armstrong – Lad embarked on this extraordinary adventure.
Over the years, Lad's itinerary was meticulously planned, allowing him to visit multiple stadiums in a short span of time by employing what he called "doubling up" strategy. His enthusiasm for catching baseball, basketball, and hockey games on the same day or within 24 hours became one of his notable accomplishments during this journey.
However, it is not just the sheer number of stadiums Lad visited that makes his story remarkable but also the serendipitous events he experienced throughout his travels. One such instance was when he arrived at UBS Arena to catch an Islanders game and discovered that the event he attended coincidentally shared the same date – November 22nd, or '11/22' as a numbers enthusiast would call it.
This extraordinary coincidence is especially meaningful for Lad given the date's historical significance. Just like 11/9 (September 11), which has taken on cultural resonance over the years, 11/22 may evoke memories of another pivotal event – the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
The completion of his journey brings a sense of closure to this remarkable tale of perseverance and dedication. In an exclusive interview with The Post, Lad reflected that his odyssey had indeed left him feeling accomplished but most importantly, content.
'I wanted to have a better life than I did,' he said, 'I was very stressed out always... Now I've done that.'
The legacy of Ashvin Lad's incredible journey is now etched in the history books as just one more testament to the resilience and determination that define the human spirit.
this dude Ashvin Lad is literally insane! 124 stadiums in one lifetime? that's like, a whole different level of dedication 
I'm not even kidding when I say he must've had some serious support system or was basically rolling with a team of people who helped him plan the whole thing out 
either way, his "doubling up" strategy is genius 
and I love that he found serendipitous events throughout his journey - it's like the universe was on his side 
11/22 being the anniversary of JFK's assassination? what a cool connection to make! 
overall, I'm just so inspired by Ashvin Lad's story and his determination to live life to the fullest 
. and what's with the "doubling up" strategy? that sounds like a lot of work just to catch games. and those serendipitous events he experienced throughout his travels? probly just a bunch of coincidence 
. i'm not buying it.
like, what's next? him visitin' every single park or somethin'? 
also feelin' a lil bad for lance armstrong's oncologist, givin' him the cash to fund lad's trip 
it's not like they're even related or nothin' 
but what really gets me is the serendipitous events he experienced on his journey - like stumbling upon an islanders game on november 22nd, which is literally the most iconic date ever! 
his journey to visit all 124 stadiums across north america is insane, i mean the dude had cancer and still managed to do this... it's not just about the number of stadiums he visited though, it's the fact that he connected with so many people along the way and created these amazing memories 
it's beautiful to see how this journey has left him feeling accomplished but most importantly content, i think we could all learn from his determination and resilience 