West Kelowna pays respects to Humboldt Broncos
The sign outside the arena read “Our hearts are with Humboldt, Sask.” as more than 1,000 people wearing jerseys of all colours streamed into West Kelowna’s Royal LePage Place Thursday evening to pay their respects to the Humboldt Broncos Junior A hockey team following a crash involving the team bus April 6 that left 16 people dead and 13 injured.
Organizers moved the event indoors due to unsettled weather, interrupting a minor hockey practice.
The young players formed a circle around local West Kelowna Warriors players, team staff and local politicians at centre ice, banging their sticks on the ice to show support.
It’s been a difficult time, admitted Rylan Ferster, head coach of the Warriors. He played for both Humboldt and Nipiwan, where the Broncos had been heading for a playoff game when the bus collided with a truck.
“We’re heartsick,” Pastor Don Richmond told the crowd, his voice breaking with emotion as he read the names of those killed in the bus crash before a moment of silence.
“There’s so much grief around us, maybe tonight's the night we can just start feeling just a little bit better,” said Alex Draper, Warriors director of business operations.
Tenille and Beau Janzen, who billeted three West Kelowna Warriors players last season, came with their children Brady and Teagan to show their support.
Even though the crash happened two provinces away, hockey is one community, Beau said. The players who stayed in the Janzen’s home become like sons to them and one knew about three-quarters of the Humboldt Broncos team. “He’s devastated,” said Beau. The crash hit home for the family, not just because of their billets, but also because their children play hockey and will eventually be travelling by bus to get to games.
“It's every mom’s worst nightmare, every dad's worst nightmare come true,” said Carin Benson, who came with her sons Nolan, Oliver and Myles and her daughter Ellie.
All three of the Benson brothers are growing up playing hockey in West Kelowna.
Whether or not they personally knew any of the Humboldt team, people were drawn to the candlelight vigil to share their grief.
“We didn't know them, but we did,” said Larry McLean. “Every one of those kids was our kids. They were the Silverbacks, they were the Smokies, they were the Vees. Everybody’s hit with it.”
As the ceremony drew to a close, some members of the crowd chanted “Let’s go, Broncos,” the sound mournfully echoing through the arena.