It was both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. The Mark Messier Arena in St. Albert was packed to the rafters for a hockey tournament in memory of four local players who were killed in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.
Family members, hockey players and spectators came from far and wide last weekend to honour the memory of Logan Hunter, Jaxon Joseph, Conner Lukan and Stephen Wack. All had been St. Albert players.
Teams named after each of the four players faced off in a tournament that was the brainchild of several local players who wanted to do something after the crash.
And do something they did. The event raised $56,000 – much of it will go to scholarships in memory of the players. But the tournament also gave people a chance to share their grief, hugs and support the families and friends who suffered horrific losses. It was an outpouring of community spirit while watching players have fun in a sport the four boys loved.
Family members shared their memories and their thankfulness at the efforts of so many to remember their loved ones not just during the tournament, but in the early days following the April 6 crash.
Chris Joseph, father of Jaxon Joseph, said that the hockey community is a family that never lets you get too high or too low.
"We have all been knocked down and you guys are doing a wonderful job of picking us up and for that we thank you and we are so extremely proud of all of you," Joseph said to packed stands.
The tournament started Friday evening, just hours after 29 charges were laid against the driver of the semi involved in the collision. But there was no talk of the charges, it was about remembering the players and making new memories.
There were many poignant moments. Tyler Smith and Derek Patter, two Broncos players who survived the crash, did the ceremonial puck drop. Parents spoke about the loss of their sons.
Conner Tupala said he wanted the families to know that their loved ones will never be forgotten.
"We will keep the boys with us always – on the ice, out having beers, in our day-to-day lives – your boys will always be with us," Tupala said to the parents of his four friends who died.
The event wasn't all sombre. There were lighthearted moments that made many people smile as they recalled individual players.
Shauna Nordstrom, the mother of Logan Hunter, also thanked organizers for bringing together the boys' friends and families in one place and for creating a moment and memories. "So let’s have some fun, laughs, playing the great game of hockey. Let’s make memories,” Nordstrom said.
It is not known yet whether the tournament will become an annual event. But we hope the legacy of caring will continue to offer support to the families and keep the memories of the four players alive.
