Don Chavez

From the Boston Herald

Twelve days after he was set upon by a rowdy crowd of Los Angeles Lakers fans at the Staples Center, Gabriel Mendivil’s dream of witnessing a Boston Celtics [team stats] victory parade comes true today.

Mendivil, 33, of San Bernardino, Calif., landed at Logan International Airport yesterday afternoon thanks to generous Herald readers who arranged for his cross-country travel after reading about his ordeal: a beating that gained fame after it was posted on YouTube.

Mendivil, a lifelong Celts fan, was wearing a Larry Bird jersey with an Antoine Walker jersey hanging around his neck when he was set upon by a thuggish Laker fan on June 8. He was attending the Lakers’ broadcast of Game 2 at the Staples Center as the game was being played at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston.

The melee was videotaped and viewed by thousands on YouTube.

One of Mendivil’s suspected assailants, Armando Talamantes, 30, of Rosemead, Calif., was arrested two days later as Game 3 ticket-holders were filing into the Staples Center, Los Angeles police said.

Kids it just goes to show you that taking a beatdown does pay. Free flight, parade, hotel room, a cruise, and balloons. Not too shabby if you ask me.