Tasza & Me - December 2006
After I got home from the hospital and settled into recovery mode I started getting all kinds of messages, good wishes, flowers and phone calls. It was wonderful to know that folks were thinking about me and my family.I also found out that something amazing had happened while I was in surgery. I mean this is something really incredible and has to do with hockey of course! We are a hockey family and involved in the local hockey community. Most of our friends are people we have met through our kid’s hockey teams. It is a huge part of our lives and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Best Goalie Ever - Winter 2007
During the winter of 2007, there were three hockey teams in Alex’s age group in our community. One of these Embrun Panthers teams happened to be playing in a tournament that started the same day as my surgery. The team was made up of many of my son’s friends, classmates and former team mates. The goalie on this team took it upon himself to tape his entire hockey stick pink and then put my initials “T T” in white tape on top of the pink so that it would stand out. I have no idea why he made this decision or what made him even think about it in the first place. His Mom told me that he wanted to do it in support of what was happening to me and to Alex and to our whole family.
Embrun Panthers - Winter 2007
The rest of the team decided to join in too! They all wanted to do the same thing with their hockey sticks so they rounded up as much pink tape as possible and they all did their sticks pink for the tournament. When I was told about this and looked up the photo on the hockey website, I just sat and cried, and cried and cried some more. It was very moving. How wonderful that they did this. It gave me so much strength and inspiration that this group of 11 year old boys would do such an amazing thing. It also really showed how much they were supporting Alex. It occurred to me that maybe these boys were a bit scared too. I mean this could have happened to any one of their Moms. Maybe they had that in the back of their minds. I don’t know. What I do know is that I will never forget what they did for as long as I live. I will always be grateful for the friendship these boys showed my son and the comfort it gave us all.
Alex's last season of minor hockey - Winter 2013
League Season Champions
Playoff Champions
Most Valuable Player
This act of kindness and support really hit home for me how much this effing cancer was not just affecting me and my family but the entire community was affected too. If it happened to me then it could happen to anyone.
I can’t imagine what these boys were thinking about but I guess they wanted to let all their Hockey Moms know how important they are. Even though these boys try to act like rough and tough hockey players on the ice, it was clear that they all still need and love their Moms, no matter what. At least that is what I like to think.
So to all of those boys and their families, I thank you again from the bottom of my heart.
John Mellencamp - Pink Houses
