Winnipeg’s support ‘therapeutic’ for football legend Stegall after family tragedy

A Winnipeg sports icon says he’s nervous but excited about coming back to the city he considers a second home after a family tragedy.

Blue Bombers hall of famer Milt Stegall stepped back from his broadcasting career when his son Chase, 20, died suddenly last month, but he’s making his return later this week, coincidentally in the city he represented on the field for 14 years.

Stegall told 680 CJOB’s The Jim Toth Show on Wednesday that the outpouring of support he’s received from Bombers fans since the news broke in early June has been “therapeutic,” and that he’s not surprised Winnipeggers have reached out en masse to offer their condolences.

“I’m not surprised about all the love that’s been thrown to us from all the individuals in Canada, but especially in Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba — it’s definitely been helping us out through this grieving process,” he said.

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“I’m sure (the crowd response in Winnipeg) will rival what happened when I broke that touchdown record. It’s going to be so much love, and when we planned on me coming back, I didn’t know the panel was going to be in Winnipeg.

“I’m excited, I’m nervous, but I’m looking forward to it … it’ll be great if Winnipeg can pull this game out — that’ll make it even better.”

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Chase was finishing his sophomore season on the men’s soccer team at DePaul University in Chicago at the time of his death. Stegall said while it’s been a difficult time for the whole family, and a situation he wouldn’t wish on anyone, he’s slowly working his way back to enjoying life again — something his son would have wanted.

“We’re getting better. It’s a process, and like I’ve been telling everyone, it’s different challenges every day … but every day we’re getting better and that’s all we can hope to do,” he said.

“We’re going to deal with this for the rest of our lives, but we can’t allow this just to consume us and overtake us and control us, because Chase wouldn’t want that, and we don’t want that.

“We want to make sure we live an optimistic, positive, uplifting life.”

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