Apparently Eric Barr didn’t feel comfortable living so far away from his beloved Cleveland Browns.
Barr, 33, quit his job at Kichler Lighting warehouse in East Hartford, Conn., and moved to Cleveland to follow his favorite NFL team. Barr now lives in a basement apartment with virtually no furniture except an air mattress. He has no family in Cleveland, no job, and his health insurance expires at the end of the month.
“I don’t think I’m on drugs,” Barr told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. “You can do a psychological evaluation on me. But I’m sure I’ll pass.”
Even if Barr seems a bit off, he’s no doubt optimistic, if not courageous.
“My ancestors came over from Ireland with nothing,” he says. “I have a blanket. I’m already one step ahead of them.”
And he has his Browns. Following a football team may not be the loftiest passion, but how many people can say they changed their life to achieve their dream? He’s living in the moment and loving every minute of it.
“People move to Florida because they like palm trees, they like sand, they like beaches,” says Barr. “I like being in the Muni Lot [of the Browns’ stadium] at 4:30 a.m.”
Barr’s devotion has deep roots. His father, a machinist, cheers for the Browns because he identifies with the team’s blue-collar image. Barr and his dad watched the games together growing up, despite never living near Cleveland.
Then in 2007, Barr bought a pair of personal seat licenses on eBay and took his dedication to a whole new level. For the past three seasons, Barr drove 566 miles each way to see every Browns home game. And he made the trek in a 1992 Nissan Sentra E, which has no air conditioner, no radio and hits a max speed of 54 mph.
Now he lives less than 20 miles away in the suburb Berea, a half-mile from the site of the Browns’ training camp. His sister, Priscilla, says he made a smart decision to move.
“He’s always loved Cleveland, and he knew that was where he was supposed to be,” she said. “He’s so happy when he’s there. I’m really proud of him for leaving. It takes guts to go somewhere without a job.”
Barr is currently looking for a job, and although nothing has turned up yet, his spirits are still high.
“You know something,” Barr muses. “Yeah, I’m going to make it. It’s just going to take a little time…I will survive. Because I am determined. That’s what’s good about Browns fans. We’re resilient. When you knock them down, they keep coming back for more.”
