HOCKEY WORLD MOURNS LOSS OF FAVOURED SON
‘Butterfly Boy’ inspired all who met him with the way handled his disease and life
Of all the hockey players who came into Jonathan Pitre’s toobrief life, Kyle Turris was his favourite.
Jonathan, 17, who died in Minnesota on Wednesday from septic shock following procedures to treat his epidermolysis bullosa (EB), was often pictured with hockey heroes. Turris, though, a former Ottawa Senators centre, was one of the few who kept in contact with him via email, which brought Jonathan great comfort in his often lonely battle against a horrendous skin disease.
Kyle and his wife, Julie, now live in Nashville where Turris is a member of the Predators. They learned of Jonathan’s passing Friday morning, hours after the Predators had clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for most points in the NHL regular season.
“Ah, man, he was just an amazing person, one of the most incredible people I’ve met,” Turris said, from Nashville. “He was the most positive, upbeat and optimistic person — and in a situation where he had every reason to be mad and frustrated with the cards he was dealt in life.”
This was where Jonathan had the power to inspire us all.
“His attitude made you rethink your attitude toward things in life, because if HE could have that kind of attitude, then there was no excuse for you,” Turris said.
Jonathan was an old soul who saw things from a unique perspective that other teens and adults did not, and had a special connection to hockey. He followed his home team with a zest few could match. In late November of 2014, the Senators made him a “professional scout for a day,” signing him to an honourary contract during a media conference.
Bryan Murray, then the Senators general manager, beamed sitting next to Jonathan, who giggled in joy. Sadly, they’re now both gone. Murray died of cancer in the summer of 2017.
Senators broadcaster Gord Wilson asked scout Jonathan if he would be focusing on any particular player that night, as Ottawa faced the Predators.
“A team isn’t made of one player,” Jonathan said, “so I will be watching the whole team.”
He sounded as though he’d been on the road bird-dogging for years.
Turris remembers a particular post-game conversation he had with Jonathan in the dressing room.
“He had a good eye for the game. He told me, ‘You need to shoot more,’” Turris said, laughing at the memory. “I passed on a couple of opportunities when I should have shot the puck. He was right.”
Turris took the advice to heart. How could he not? For his age, Jonathan had an astounding presence, commanding he be heard.
“He got the attention of everyone in the room when he spoke,” Turris said. “He was an intelligent, powerful person.”
After his dream of being a professional player passed, scouting or broadcasting seemed the perfect avenue for a boy whose skin condition made it impossible for him to play a lot of sports.
“I like seeing the skill, the talent of the players,” Jonathan said. “It seems like second nature for me because I’m always watching other kids play. I just always look at different people and pick out the better ones. As I’m watching them play, I figure out their strengths and weaknesses.”
Jonathan blushed with pride when he was honoured — to his utter surprise — at the 2015 NHL Awards Show in Fort Lauderdale. In advance, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins sent him a custom suit to wear.
On stage with a group of current and former Senators including Daniel Alfredsson and Erik Karlsson, Jonathan was introduced and told by Karlsson on national TV that he would be the NHL’s guest at the following year’s All-Star Game in Nashville.
“To us,” Karlsson told Jonathan,
His strength was only matched by his incredible mom. He made this world a better place, looking to the Northern Lights for you, Jonathan.
“you’re a hero.”
Karlsson, who suffered great personal loss in his family recently, is at home with wife Melinda while the Senators finish their schedule on the road. The captain tweeted a salute to Jonathan on Friday.
“It was a privilege getting to know you ... thanks for sharing all of your great qualities with us.”
Teammate Zack Smith tweeted: “I will never forget how much inspiration one person can bring to this world.”
Owner Eugene Melnyk said on Twitter he was heartbroken at the news and that Jonathan “was like family to our team.”
In a nice touch, the Senators added a butterfly to their Twitter account logo. To many, Jonathan was known as the “Butterfly Boy,” a name that touches on the fragility of EB patients.
Jonathan was extremely close with many media personalities, including this newspaper’s own Andrew Duffy, who chronicled his inspiring journey from the beginning and in his obituary assigned Jonathan his rightful place among the stars in the sky.
Jonathan also came to know Brent Wallace and James Duthie of TSN as close friends, among others.
On Twitter, Wallace called Jonathan “brave, smart, kind, funny and rare ... I’m heartbroken for his mom (Tina).”
Duthie noted Jonathan’s courage and role as an advocate for EB.
Julie Turris cited Jonathan’s numerous qualities, including his maturity, kindness and compassion.
“His strength was only matched by his incredible mom,” Julie tweeted. “Sending Tina so much love. He made this world a better place, looking to the Northern Lights for you, Jonathan.”