Humboldt player's legacy lives on

Nearly six years after the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash, Logan Boulet's legacy continues to live on.

In 2017, Boulet, who played for the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team, told his dad about his desire to become an organ donor, just like his coach and mentor Ric Suggitt, who had died that year.

Boulet died on April 7, 2018, a day after the crash that killed 16 passengers and injured 13. His organs were donated, helping save the lives of six people who needed transplants.

In what became known as the Logan Boulet Effect, their son's organ donation led to almost 150,000 donor registrations across Canada shortly after.

“Sometimes it's all a bit overwhelming to know how much of an impact it has made,” says Logan's mother, Bernadine Boulet.

“It has really let us know how this story of Logan has made such an impact on people and has actually changed people's way of thinking about organ and tissue donation.”

Feb. 21 was the kickoff for the campaign leading up to 2024 Green Shirt Day on April 17 — which is led by the Boulet family and Canadian Transplant Association.

The logo for this year's Green Shirt Day was inspired by quilts given to Humboldt families impacted by the 2018 tragedy.

When the crash first happened, Haus of Stitches in Humboldt put out a plea to quilters across the country to make blankets and quilts for the families that were affected.

“They were overwhelmed. Thousands of quilts and blankets were sent to them,” Boulet said.

Members of Waywayseecappo First Nation in Manitoba travelled to Humboldt to present star blankets to the 16 families that had a member who died.

The star blanket the Boulet family received was the inspiration behind this year's Green Shirt Day logo, which was designed by educator and artist Dr. Hali Heavy Shield, a member of the Blood Tribe in southern Alberta.

“For Blackfoot people, star blankets represent comfort, healing and generosity, reflecting the impact of Logan's story on the global community,” Heavy Shield said in a news release.

For people who are considering registering for organ donation but are hesitant, Logan's father, Toby Boulet, says “Where you're going, you're not taking your organs with you.”

“It's better to leave them with somebody else to make their life better, to create some longevity in their lives,” he said in an interview.