A love letter to my NHL Predators
Last night was Round Two, Game 7, and one of the most important games in Nashville Predators hockey history. Unfortunately, it will also be remembered as one of the most poorly played games in recent history, with the poor performance magnified by the importance of the game.
Although that loss means the hockey season has come to an end (for the big boys; youth hockey never really takes a break -- case in point, Mike and Carson will be gone for hockey this weekend), it can't diminish the wonderful season the Predators have had. Nor can it tarnish the luster these men and this organization have had to our family personally over the past eleven months. Our hockey family has been simply amazing; the way the community came together. And I know that what I know about and can write about cannot cover every act of kindness that has been shown to us in big and small ways.
(Side note: This does not pretend to be a comprehensive description of everything that was done for us, or is not meant to be a slight of other people not associated with our hockey community. I just want to sing the praises of our hockey community, specifically the professional hockey community here in Nashville.)
When Mitchell first went in to the hospital, I was unable to contact everyone at once, or update everyone at once. I sent a few texts, emails, and Facebook messages, and word quickly spread, not just among our family, church, and hockey teams, but throughout the entire community. Within the first 48 hours of being at the hospital, a representative of the Nashville Predators was there, delivering a huge duffel bag filled with all kinds of Predators swag: bobbleheads, t-shirts, signed memorabilia, etc. Mike Fisher tweeted out a prayer request for Mitchell, by name. His wife (Carrie Underwood, if you didn't know) re-tweeted it. How many thousands saw that?! A hockey mom (the Queen Bee of Nashville hockey moms) came by with an envelope of gift cards and cash from our youth hockey friends, and another envelope with a card and full of gift cards from Mike Ribeiro of the Nashville Predators.
While we were in the hospital, Mitchell received four hockey jerseys from different University teams: the University of Tennessee, the University of the South, the University of South Carolina, and Liberty University all sent jerseys for Mitchell (Liberty sent one for Carson, too). UT and SC both sent #18. Later in the summer, I literally ran into the kid that wears #18 for UT, standing in line while moving our friend Hannah into her apartment.
Throughout our hospital stay, we were completely overwhelmed with visits from our hockey family, who came to cover us in love and prayer, and to bring coffee, snacks, gift cards for restaurants in the area, shampoo. One hockey mom cooked and brought us dinner, complete with her china and silverware; she brought us towels, too. We had word from the Predators that some of the players wanted to come visit, but unfortunately we never got to that point. A hockey mom set up the GoFundMe
Church family and hockey family came together to make sure Carson was cared for, loved on, and kept busy. One church family kept him for the first week and took him to Vacation Bible School. Two other hockey families kept him the rest of the time pretty much; one kept him a couple of nights while they were in the midst of a move, the other basically adopted him full-time.
Preds General Manager David Poile mentioned Mitchell's passing at the beginning of his off-season presser on June 30. At Mitchell's visitation at church, members of the Nashville Predators family came: former Preds Stu Grimson and J.P. Dumont (Carson's hockey coach); front office staff Brandon Walker and Andee Boiman; Krazy Kyle Hankins, just to name a few. (I still hear from people who mention the funeral that I didn't know were there.) If you were there, you probably remember the rows and rows of young men who wore their hockey jerseys to the funeral in Mitchell's honor.
But the support did not end there.
The local comedy club, Zanies, (owned by a couple of awesome hockey families) hosted two benefit nights, one with former Predators Stu Grimson, JP Dumont, Jim McKenzie, and Chris Mason, telling war stories from their time as players. Lots of hockey families came out to this benefit, not just to laugh about hockey, but to demonstrate their love for us. The Predators donated some signed memorabilia for a silent auction.
Three of our closest hockey families organized a separate benefit event held in the late fall, with a great deal of support from other hockey parents, a member of the Predators front office and one of the Predator wives. This amazing event included the Predators "house band" that often plays on the Predators Band Stage. The voice of the Predators, Paul McCann attended in support, as did Brent Peterson and three of the Predator players: Mike Ribeiro, Austin Watson, and Gabriel Bourque. Additionally, the Predators organization donated items for the auction, including signed sticks and jerseys, game tickets, a Zamboni ride, and a special opportunity to Skate with the Preds. Bauer Hockey donated a few equipment items and also sent a couple of pieces of signed memorabilia from Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Predators also offered Carson a couple of special experiences that I have talked about already, being Blueliner of the Game and the opportunity to be on the ice during the NHL All-Star Game player presentations. At these events, we were warmly greeted by several Preds staff members, including Sean Henry, the President (aka Predsident) and COO of the Predators organization. We got to meet most of the players after a game, with many of them knowing our story and telling us how sorry they were about Mitchell, Mike Fisher especially. Pekka Rinne and Carter Hutton were so much fun for Carson to talk to. Paul McCann came up to me to speak to me on the Bridgestone Plaza during the NHL weekend, and we ran into Roman Josi after the All-Star Game (and I was a little star struck...). Through these moments, Carson received a stick and later a jersey from Steven Stamkos with the Tampa Bay Lightning (Mitchell's favorite player), and developed an unrelenting man-crush on Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks. Carson also was invited by the families who won the "Skate with the Preds" opportunity to come, too, and played hockey at Bridgestone with Mike Ribeiro, Austin Watson, and Ryan Johansen.
As you can see, we have had lots and lots of support, not just from our youth hockey family, but from the highest levels of professional hockey. I've name-dropped several names, but right now I want to say loudly and clearly a very special thank you to two men and their families especially: Brandon Walker and Mike Ribeiro. And I want to say something publicly about Mike Ribeiro. I don't think it is a big secret that Mike has had a troubled professional career before he came to Nashville. I did not know him then, and can not speak to anything that happened before he became a member of the Nashville Predators organization. If I could, I would nominate him for the Masterton Trophy in a minute. Mike has worked tirelessly in Nashville to put his troubled years behind him and to be a good hockey teammate and community member in Nashville. He has hosted an annual Christmas party, complete with food and gifts, for children who may not have any other presents; his family attends with him. On a personal level, Mike has been a part of almost every event hosted in support of our family. He spoke to me at A-Game as we waited for our sons -- his son was coming in for practice as I was waiting for Carson to get finished to tell me how very sorry he was, and how he hoped that he and his family were able to show their support and sympathy. In a world where we only read snippets of information about people in on-line news which is rarely favorable, I want to shout from the rooftops about the giving nature of this family. Thank you. (So why don't I wear a Ribeiro jersey? Well, you see... every time I buy a player jersey for the Predators, that player gets traded -- to the Capitals. I have an Erat jersey and a Ward jersey, and both of them got traded the next season. So I refuse to buy another player jersey.)
So, as we have been watching the NHL playoff games, we watch with added importance, cheering for these men who have demonstrated such class and love. I was so sad that the Preds couldn't pull it off and move to the next round, but was glad to see Carson's new fave Brent Burns and my old favorite Predator (now a Shark), Joel Ward move on together. And of course, we are hopeful that Mitchell's favorite, Steven Stamkos, will be able to join his Tampa Bay Lightning team very soon! Even though we will be cheering for the Sharks and the Lightning through this next round, the Predators will always be #1 in our hearts, for the grace, class, and support they have shown our family, in very personal ways. When we needed someone to Stand With Us, they have been there. We'll continue to be #18foreverstrong; you all continue to #playformitch.