Tradition honoring a late Philly teacher moves to Arizona for Game 4 of the NLCS

PHOENIX — A few days ago, Lauren Sammartino, a friend of the late Alaine Porter, came up with an idea.

She met Alaine years ago at West Chester University, where they were sorority sisters. Another one of their sisters, Tara Cericola, now lives in the Phoenix area.

Sammartino sent Cericola a text.

“Would you take a picture of Alaine to the game tomorrow?” She asked.

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Cericola replied with a resounding “yes.” It was the continuation of a tradition started by Lori Piper Geiser, who worked with Porter, a third-grade teacher at Tacony Academy Charter School. Geiser brought a photo of Porter with her to Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Braves, after Porter died unexpectedly at the age of 35 on Oct. 8.

Geiser was sitting behind home plate, and held up the photo of Porter — a huge Phillies fan — right before Bryce Harper hit his three-run home run to right field in the third inning. Porter’s family saw it and so did many of her friends, including Sammartino and Cericola. So, they decided to bring Porter to Arizona for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.

Cericola, who will sit just behind the Phillies dugout on Friday, put Porter’s photo on a sign with her name and the dates of her birth and of her passing. She wrote “Phillies’ Good Luck Charm” on the sign, because she believes they’ll win any game in which her friend is present.

“I was sad that I wasn’t able to go to her funeral on Thursday, because I live out here,” Cericola said. “But I felt like this is my best way to honor her tonight. By doing this for her.”

Cericola grew up in the Lehigh Valley and now lives just outside of Phoenix. She tries to go to as many Phillies games as she can, and bought tickets to Game 4 before learning of Alaine’s passing. Once she heard of Sammartino’s idea, she was convinced that she was here for a reason.

“I feel like this is a way to celebrate her life and her love of the Phillies,” Cericola said. “And to carry on that flame that she had in Philadelphia here in Arizona is an amazing thing.”

As Cericola carried her sign into the ballpark, some Diamondbacks fans asked her about it. She told them of her friend’s passing, and how she was trying to honor her.

“They told me, ‘Now, we have to root for you guys,’” Cericola said. “‘We can’t be sad if the Diamondbacks lose today.’”