Hockey is on our screens, but Humboldt is in our hearts as the hockey world mourns together and reaches out to support those affected by Friday’s tragic bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos.
The hockey community also mourns the loss of Jonathan Pitre, who died Wednesday after a long, brave battle with epidermolysis bullosa. He was 17. Pitre and his mother, Tina Boileau, hold a special place in many hockey fans’ hearts and had an especially close bond with the Ottawa Senators organization.
Don Cherry paid tribute to both the Broncos and Pitre during Saturday’s Coach’s Corner segment, sharing words of support for the communities, family members, friends, loved ones, and all those affected, and showing photos of the team.
“There are no words to describe what has happened here,” Cherry said. “You sit on those buses day after day, night after night, they travel.”
There were 29 members of the team on the bus Friday as they traveled to Nipawin for Game 5 of their semifinal series against the Hawks. Fifteen were killed in the collision, among them head coach Darcy Haugan, captain Logan Schatz, forward Jaxon Joseph and team play-by-play radio announcer Tyler Bieber. The other 14 were injured, some critically.
“Let’s have a little prayer for them,” Cherry said, before showing photos of all 29 members of the team in a special tribute. “That’s all we can say.”
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