Jackie the Bald Eagle honored during Ontario Tower Buzzers game
ONTARIO, Calif. (KESQ) -A sold-out crowd packed Ont Field as the Ontario Tower Buzzers hosted “Fly High Jackie Night” to honor the beloved Jackie the Big Bear bald eagle. Half of the ticket proceeds from the event went to the Friends of Big Bear Valley to aid local conservation efforts.
The tribute follows the death of Jackie on August 10, who died after receiving more than three weeks of intensive medical care for injuries sustained in an apparent altercation with other eagles. The team, a Single-A Minor League affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, partnered with the Friends of Big Bear Valley,, the nonprofit group leading preservation efforts for the bald eagles’ natural habitat.
Alan Benavides, general manager of the Ontario Tower Buzzers, said the idea to host the memorial game came together quickly after the eagle’s passing. “We’re thinking, you know what? Let’s honor Jackie. Let’s do a day with Jackie We reached out to Friends of Big Bear Valley and they were pretty excited to partner with us,” Benavides said.
Fans packed the stadium for the tribute, participating in activities, purchasing merchandise and signing their names in honor of Jackie. Kimberly Giffen, a fan who traveled from Tarzana to attend, said she felt compelled to make the trip. “I’ve been following them for eight years… no matter how far it is, I was determined to be here because I could not imagine not being here,” Giffen said. She added that seeing the turnout was deeply meaningful.
“I’m very touched by it. It’s just fulfilling my heart. And I just know that she’s flying high. Flying high, Jackie,” Giffen said. Representatives from the Friends of Big Bear Valley noted that Jackie and her mate, Shadow, reached a worldwide audience, with viewers tuning in from every country in the world except four.
Representatives from the Friends of Big Bear Valley said Jackie and her mate, Shadow, became known around the world. People watched them online from almost every country. Their story also helped raise nearly $5 million in about five months to help protect the forest around Big Bear Lake.
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