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| More than one generation of my family played hockey |
and death,
on the ice
The game of ice hockey has long been Canada's favourite sport, although not our national game. Therefore, it is no wonder that our country is now deep in mourning following a terrible bus/truck crash on a lonely stretch of Saskatchewan highway.
When I was young, no one in our small hockey-playing town even considered the idea that there might be any other kind of hockey than ice hockey. We had never heard of field hockey and, when our dad told us about it, my brother and I just laughed. Backyard ice hockey, yes. Down-the-middle-of-an-icy-road games, we played those, too. But hockey without ice, no way!
ICE, however, that so-essential part of the game, contributed to 15 deaths in the cold of a prairie winter, as a team bus carried the Humboldt Broncos hockey team toward a game scheduled in Nipiwan, Saskatchewan.
But the Nipiwan Hawks waited in vain for their opponents to arrive.
Canadians later learned that the team bus would have had the right-of-way, rather than the truck also involved in the fatal collision.
So far, as of April 9, I have no details except for the aerial photo and the links below.
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| CBC photo of the intersection where the transport truck and the team bus collided |
Families, friends, nationally-known hockey personalities, and Prime Minister Trudeau and his son...gathered in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, while the rest of our nation followed the memorial service on television.
"Not a dry eye in the place" barely suffices as a description of that gathering, and yet, there was some small degree of healing as neighbour embraced neighbour, brother hugged sister, and visiting sport legends shared their solidarity as only fellow hockey players can.
Mourners included survivors of previous team bus crashes, members of Canadian Olympic hockey teams, members of the National Hockey League, sports broadcasters and many others.
Across Canada, news stories continue as details unfold, and as the world mourns.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/st-albert-raiders-humboldt-broncos-1.4610779
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/humboldt-broncos-team-bus-crash-1.4610242
http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/news/swift-current-broncos-1986-bus-crash-survivor-reflects-on-humboldt-tragedy-1.23259306
Sharing with Fiona's Our World Tuesday
20 comments:
Such a horrible thing to happen. Many teams travel in winter for a variety of sports. The danger is always there on our winter highways. My thoughts are with all the families and people involved. - Margy
hari OM
Any loss of life in such conditions is to be mourned; hockey or no... YAM xx
This has had a powerful impact on us. I mourn with you & your country's loss.
There’s a Surrey connection to this tragedy. I learned that 20-year-old Jaxon Joseph played for the Surrey Eagles during the 2015 to 2016 season. So much youth gone so suddenly is earth shattering. Ironically, before this happened the parents probably devoted more time to worrying about the kids getting hurt on the rink than on the road. But as you say … unfortunately, there is ice and danger in a lot of places this time of year.
How tragic. So many to have lost their lives long before their time.
When I heard the news of this tragic accident this weekend my heart mourned for those lost young lives and their families! My prayers are with the families and all of Canada.
Sad and tragic. How awful for all those young people and their families. Best wishes to Canada at this time.
Yesterday I read somewhere life is not a holiday in the sunshine but the art to dance in the rain.
We saw this on our news, Kay, and it was a very sad and tragic accident. As you say, the ice can be friend or foe and driving in these conditions requires great care. A great pity so many promising young lives were lost.
I watched coverage of this accident on the news. So tragic.
Such a terrible tragedy.
This has been such a terrible event, I can't imagine what those families are going through. I know how dangerous winter driving can be as I regularly drive over an 11,500-foot-high pass to get to my ski area.
That's so sad and the comment of one of the fathers was inspiring.
Horrible that it is happening. Such a tragedy!
so sad. I must admit the story passed by my radar, so thankyou for bringing it to us. The sons of our friends in Canada play ice hockey. I must contact them. Take care and thank you for stopping by my blog this week.
so sorry for all concerned. Players and family and all.
I did not hear about it until now.
My deepest condolences for all the victims and their families. Such a tragedy, Kay.
I've never been there but it looks amazing!
I am so sorry Kay. So incredibly sad. You are right that the world mourns with you.
Such a tragic accident.
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