Cory Howard, a Fort Wayne native and lifelong Notre Dame fan, had planned to be in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl against Georgia. However, his trip was overshadowed by a tragic event in the city.

Unaware of the Tragedy Until Arrival

Howard had set off for his New Orleans trip on the morning of the terrorist attack, unaware of the chaos unfolding in the city. His flight included a layover in Orlando, and it was only when he landed and regained cell service that he discovered the horrific news.

“As soon as I got off the plane and my phone had service again, I had a ton of messages come through from Facebook Messenger and text messages asking if I was alright, did you see what happened?” Howard recalled.

Change in Plans and Atmosphere

Initially, Howard had planned to celebrate New Year’s Eve on Bourbon Street, but due to high plane ticket prices, he delayed his travel for an additional day. By the time he arrived in New Orleans, the city had been rocked by a terrorist attack that left at least 15 dead and 35 injured after a man intentionally drove into a crowd of revelers.

The attack had an immediate impact on the atmosphere surrounding the Sugar Bowl. Howard, who has attended several large college football games, said, “I’ve been to some big college football games before and this was going to be the biggest that I’ve been to, and the atmosphere has just completely changed, and rightfully so. Everyone understands the bigger picture here.”

In response to the attack, the Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia was postponed to 4 PM Eastern Time the following day for safety reasons.

Reflecting on the Tragedy

Although Howard’s trip was still on track for Friday, his thoughts remained with those affected by the attack. “You can tell that this is just a really, really big shock to just everyone local here, so my heart and prayers go out to everybody,” Howard said, expressing his concern for the community in the wake of the tragedy.