Blue Jays fan flies from Perth to Toronto to cheer on his team

Blue Jays
Domenic Gareri/Shutterstock.com

40-year-old Jon Shell flew 30 hours to see the Blue Jays compete in the American League Divisional Series. The devoted fan went straight to the Rogers Centre after landing yesterday to catch Game 1, and attended Game 2 today.

Shell has been watching his team each morning at home in Perth (there’s a 12 hour time difference) and was encouraged by his wife to make the trip.

“She’s seen me sit there and watch the game over breakfast … she said, ‘You have to go back for this,'” Shell told the CBC.

Photo courtesy of Jon Shell/The CBC

Photo courtesy of Jon Shell/CBC

Shell moved to Australia two years ago, where few knew who the Blue Jays were. In fact, many people were baffled when he told them why he was making the lengthy trip back home.

“It felt like a reasonably normal thing to do when I planned it, but when I talk to people about it, they don’t think it’s that normal.”

Now, Shell is surrounded by fellow fans who understand why he made the trip. Even if the Jays don’t win the series, he insists getting to see them in the playoffs was worth flying around the world for.