Knicks staff surprised fan with free tickets to Game 1 at Madison Square Garden

MANHATTAN (WABC) -- A Knicks fan was surprised with free tickets for Game 1 from the Knicks staff.

It's a memory of a lifetime that almost didn't happen.

While waiting for the Madison Square watch party to start, a Knicks staff member randomly surprised 50-year-old Kareem Pettus and his wife, Janet, of Bedstuy, Brooklyn, with playoff tickets against Cleveland.

"That's crazy. Aww man. That's a blessing. I appreciate this. I can't believe. I can't speak right now," Pettus said.

Waving tickets in hand, Kareem and Janet walked into Madison Square Garden before witnessing history.

"I went to the most epic playoff game with those free tickets," Pettus said.

The Knicks made a historic 22-point comeback against the Cavs, marking the second-largest 4th Quarter comeback in NBA Playoff history.

"I felt like a tap out all around is a young lady handing out my envelope? Now, me being from Brooklyn, I'm like, I don't I don't trust this," Pettus said.

Pettus' son said he learned of his dad's surprise in their family group chat.

"That's crazy. And me knowing my dad, you know, he's retired sanitation for New York City. He's been using his retirement to a lot of different cities to watch the Knicks play," his son said.

Pettus said he's a good luck charm for the Knicks and traveled to Cleveland.

"They might because they had to just lay down and give us the keys to the arena. That's our arena now," he said.

Monday night's watch party in New York is at Radio City Hall and is $10 to enter.

All proceeds will go toward the team's Garden of Dreams foundation to help children in need.

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