Raiders Fan Who Broke Woman’s Fall At Coliseum Recovering At Home

OAKLAND (KPIX 5) — A man who broke a woman’s fall when she jumped from the third deck at the O.co Coliseum after Sunday’s Oakland Raiders game is at home recovering from his injuries Monday, a sheriff’s sergeant said.

After the Raiders game yesterday afternoon, 61-year-old Donnie Navidad and his friend, were hanging around hoping to get his Bo Jackson jersey autographed. That’s when they saw a young petite woman on top of section 301. It’s closed off to the public and covered in tarps.

Those who were watching from the second-deck concourse level below told her not to jump, but she did anyway, Alameda County sheriff’s Sgt. J.D. Nelson said.

“When I seen her fall, I kind of grabbed her, and she fell. I tried to grab her so she wouldn’t bounce. So she hit the left side.” recalled Navidad from his home in Stockton Monday. “I tried to grab her and just lock her in. The force just came down and she bounced out.”

Navidad, a lifelong Raiders fan, was treated at a hospital and later released.

The woman was still badly hurt and remained at a hospital in critical condition Monday, the sergeant said.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputies say there’s no question she would have died at the Coliseum if Navidad hadn’t broken her fall.

Navidad laughs off any notion of heroism, explaining he’s a Vietnam Veteran.

“Being in the marine corps, we’re trained to act, no questions asked,” said Navidad.

It could have been a costly act of heroism.

“He could have died,” said wife Lora Robertson. “I told him, ‘when you get better, I’m going to slap you. You could have died.’ But I’m proud of him.”

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