I can only imagine what hockey means to all Canadians but the loss the Humboldt hockey team is experiencing is beyond imagination. My heartfelt condolences to all.
I saw this post this morning and must share.
~~Blake Wesley
Riding the team bus on a rural highway has been and is part of hockey life. Its blessings and difficulties are accepted with composure and calm. It’s what young men, and women now, have always done. These buses and the roads stitch together the country in ways few other things ever could or one can imagine .
All we can do is share a grief that is as wide and deep as Canada. The families directly affected lost more than can be put into words. My hearts break for them. The rest of us mourn the best this country has: those everyday Canadians dedicated to a game that so often unites us in moments of national joy, but which now brings us together in the deepest sorrow.
Everybody, everywhere you go today and yesterday, is talking about this. What a horrible tragedy.
I play ball hockey in a parking lot every Sunday morning with some brother-in-laws and friends - 19 of us showed up today (and got snowed on during our 2 hour game). A bunch of old farts running around remembering glory years. As always, after the game, we sat in a circle and chatted, joked, insulted each other and laughed. But today, we paused and had a toast to the Broncos. A very quiet moment today in circle today.
I used to live in Sask... played minor hockey in Regina... and I am going to ask my mom (her memory is still better than mine), but I think we went to Humboldt for a tournament one weekend. I can't imagine what their family and friends are going through.
A very nice gesture from you Nancy. Makes you remember what life is really about.
A little more on this... for those who don't know, (alomost) everybody watches hockey on Saturday night in Canada, hosted by a couple of guys Don Cherry and Ron McLean... Don is... interesting... love him or hate him... never in the middle. He always pays tribute to fallen soldiers, police, first responders etc. Last night, he dedicated a huge part of his "Coaches corner" segment section on the Broncos. The clip of the video in this link.... the article summarizes everything...
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/heartbroken-don-cherry-calls-hockey-team-bus-crash-a-national-nightmare/wcm/783e0a34-9856-45cc-b272-fa11acb9fd90 (http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/heartbroken-don-cherry-calls-hockey-team-bus-crash-a-national-nightmare/wcm/783e0a34-9856-45cc-b272-fa11acb9fd90)
Love Ron because you couldn't have two Dons.
Certain things unite all Canadians and when that happens it happens across the whole country...Gord Downie. A third of the whole country tuned into his last concert. Think of that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TB5OiEXv1w
His last Album done at that point where he brain cancer was slowly extinguishing his brain and his vocabulary. That is Canadian, fighting right to the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dGkrGUd8-8
Humboldt was the next time when the whole country was transfixed and paid tribute. The one lad who tried to move and help his fallen teammates as they lay on the road but he couldn't move because he was paralyzed. What's it mean to be a Canadian? That core respect and desire to do the right thing no matter what the cost. We are not loud, but like a hockey player get in our way and we will be fierce if we need to be. :)
(http://i68.tinypic.com/5wglm1.jpg)
If you are coming to Canada and see hockey sticks, especially near the front door of the home...now you know why.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/803/40473808795_6adc30eccd_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24EwRgz)#SticksOutForHumboldt (https://flic.kr/p/24EwRgz) by TinLiz (Liz) Winterstorm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tinliz/), on Flickr