Hockey is a Family

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks; attacks that affected everybody, including the hockey family. Two scouts for the LA Kings, Garnet "Ace" Bailey and Mark Bavis were on the plane that hit the south tower on September 11th 2001. The hockey family gathered together and mourned then, and we continue to remember today.

It seems, however, that the hockey world has been doing a lot of mourning this year. Mourning for Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belaak, the horrific plane crash involving the entire Yaroslavl Lokomotiv hockey team, and now today. It feels unfair that as soon as we recover from mourning some one, another death occurs and we keep mourning again. This has been a terrible summer for death, but through it all, the hockey family has bonded together and help each other out.

That's what makes the hockey family so special. We don't complain to each other, we take care of each other; we comfort each other and mourn together. The hockey family is the best family in sport because of the way we care for each other and help each other out. This is a family that understands that there is life off the rink; a happy life that should be cherished forever.

To some sports, the game is a business and what happens off the court is less important, including athlete deaths. But hockey is different. Because hockey is such a close knitted sport, when an athlete does die, everyone in the family is shocked and sad because it feels like a close friend has been lost. That is a special bond.

My family went through a very tough loss last November when my 20 year old cousin took his own life. I learned a lot that week about my family and myself and have been closer to all my relatives ever since. Now as I read about all the families who are losing their father's and son's this hockey summer, I remember my own loss and I know how sad they feel. Since death can be so sudden, it is important to cherish every moment you have with your family. I wish I had done so with my cousin and I know the mourning hockey family is thinking the same. Death hurts but happy memories are always a treasure.

Hockey is a family and a great family to be in. It appears as simply a large group of people sharing their love for hockey, but it is really more than that. We are family, happy together in the good times and sad together in the bad times. For this reason, hockey is a special sport and I am very glad I am a part of this family.