Funds raised for Vandervlis

GO FUND ME PAGE ESTABLISHED FOR INJURED HURRICANE

By mid-afternoon Monday, less than 24 hours after it was posted, an online fundraiser for injured Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Ryan Vandervlis had already exceeded its $25,000 goal.

It passed $40,000 a few hours later.

The “Friends of Ryan Vandervlis on behalf of Barb and Rene Vandervlis” gofundme page at

was

launched Sunday. The page says “He is now recovering at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary where he is heavily sedated to aid healing, facing months of recovery and multiple surgeries. We, the friends of Ryan and his family, have established this fund to assist with the costs associated with his recovery.”

Vandervlis sustained burns to the front of his body, and had been in a medicallyinduced coma, following a June 15 campfire incident at the family home of former Canes’ star Tyler Wong. Canes’ captain Jordy Bellerive and alumnus Matt Alfaro were also injured, and are both expected to make a full recovery.

Team general manager Peter Anholt has said it’s believed the three injured players were all sitting on the same bench when a fire with wet wood was started with an accelerant. Cochrane RCMP continue to investigate the incident.

The Vandervlis page states that his parents, Rene and Barb, along with his siblings Cara, Sean, and Rachel, remain with Ryan in Calgary.

“Now the family needs our help, and we hope you’ll join us in sending positive thoughts and prayers to Ryan for a speedy recovery, to his family, to his friends, and to his hockey community,” the page says.

“Donations to cover the cost of meals and living expenses while in Calgary, and to support Ryan’s recovery would be deeply appreciated and will be provided directly to the family. Should donations exceed the actual cost of Ryan’s recovery, the excess amount will be donated in full to a notfor-profit organization or organization of Ryan’s choice. The Vandervlis’ thank you for your thoughts, your prayers, and your support. They are overwhelmed by the kindness shown by friends, by community, and by strangers.”

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