Quest for wheelchair leads pair to owner’s suite to see Sens play
John Woodhouse has never been to the Canadian Tire Centre to see an NHL game live.
On Saturday afternoon when the Senators face the Philadelphia Flyers, the 63-year-old community volunteer will be watching in style — from the private suite of Senators owner Eugene Melnyk.
Melnyk read a newspaper story about Woodhouse receiving a new power wheelchair for getting around the city, thanks to the efforts of a neighbour and JCC gym manager Ryan Armitage.
In that story, Woodhouse defended his favourite hockey team, engulfed in a difficult season, and wore a Senators T-shirt to pose for photographs.
Bill Brooks, a security guard at the CTC for 23 seasons, happens to train at the JCC and put in a request to get tickets for Woodhouse and Armitage to an upcoming game. In his bid, he included the news article on Woodhouse. The Senators upped the ante, inviting Woodhouse and Armitage to Melnyk’s personal suite.
“Who, me?” Woodhouse said, via email. “I am blown away.”
Woodhouse suffers from dystonia and lost his legs just below the hips due to unrelated infections. That hasn’t stopped him from volunteering in the community and commuting across town to train. He does walk audits for the physically challenged as chairperson for Walk Ottawa.
Armitage was recently featured by the Citizen for his work training clients facing special challenges, including MS, Down syndrome and Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
“They said they had read the other articles as well and wanted to honour John and I,” says Armitage, a former competitive football player.
“I am absolutely floored.”