Local crossing guard spreading Eagles Super Bowl LVII spirit
JENKINTOWN, Penn., (CBS) -- A Montgomery County crossing guard and devoted Eagles fan is going above and beyond getting people safely across the street. She's also turning heads and getting residents pumped up for Super Bowl LVII.
On the field, the Eagles mascot Swoop is a show-stopper. But in Jenkintown, Swoop is stopping traffic.
"I was like, oh my gosh that's the Eagles bird. Go Birds," Jenkintown resident Chloe Rajauski said.
Another local, Patrick Mizzoni, thinks this is exactly what the town needs.
"I think it's bringing a lot of joy to the town," Mizzoni said.
While on crosswalk duty, Swoop makes sure people safely get across West Avenue. But off the clock, Swoop is Shauna Rivera.
"I just appreciate being a part of this town," Rivera said.
Rivera got the Swoop head years ago as a gift from her husband. She actually just started wearing it in addition to her crossing guard uniform last week.
"People were literally stopping for selfies, taking pictures of me just to meet the Swoop head," Rivera said. "So it's been a fun thing to do just to get the energy going."
The Jenkintown police chief says Rivera initially asked permission to wear the Swoop helmet Friday, Since then, there's been a buzz around town.
"It's all about community here in Jenkintown. I thought it would be the perfect thing, for her to do it," Chief Tom Scott said.
But Rivera also wears the Swoop helmet in honor of her late father, who raised her to be the big Birds fan she is today. She says she's been a diehard Eagles fan for as long as she can remember.
The Birds making it to the Super Bowl this year makes her feel a little bit closer to her dad too.
"Oh my gosh, it's huge. Rest in peace. My dad would have been ecstatic," Rivera said. "The last time they were in the Super Bowl in 2018 was the year he died. So it's exciting to see them here again. I know he's cheering."
Now as she helps people cross the road, she's also hoping the Birds fly on their road to victory.