A New Jersey motorcyclist who stopped to help a fellow biker was shocked to find it was none other than rock and roll legend Bruce Springsteen.
“It is a day I probably won’t forget for a while,” Dan Barkalow, 54, told CNN. “The moment I got off the bike I saw it was him, and he was a real nice, down-to-earth guy.”
Barkalow, a veteran, said he spotted Springsteen and his broken down bike by the side of the road Friday as he was leading a group of bikers, the Freehold American Legion Riders, back from an event for Vietnam veterans on Veteran’s Day.
He said when he met Springsteen, who lives near Freehold, he felt “a little starstruck,” but offered to help nonetheless.
Turned out “The Boss,” as Springsteen is often called, had a dead battery that would not charge. Barkalow and his fellow bikers gave Springsteen a ride to a nearby restaurant.
Springsteen, Barkalow and other riders hung out at the restaurant for about 45 minutes until Springsteen’s ride came. He said the musician offered them a round of drinks while they waited and talked about motorcycles and life in Freehold, New Jersey.
One of Barkalow’s fellow riders said Springsteen took everyone’s names and phone numbers saying he’d like to get them free tickets to a concert if he ever plays nearby.
