WATCH ABOVE: Hockey tournament held in honour of Nathan O’Brien
CALGARY – Seven months after Nathan O’Brien and his grandparents vanished from their southwest home, the community has come together to remember a little boy who loved superheroes and hockey.
Springbank Arena is now home to a tournament that honours the 5-year-old.
The arena was a constant in the lives of Nathan and his parents Rod and Jen O’Brien. On Friday they returned to the rink for the first time since his disappearance.
“Walking through these doors this morning,” the pair said Friday. “It was emotional.”
The O’Brien family says the hockey community has been a constant source of strength through the entire ordeal.
WATCH BELOW: Nathan O’Brien’s parents break silence
Organizers said Friday they wanted to do something to help keep Nathan O’Brien’s memory alive.
“The tragedy was horrible and we don’t want it to end that way for them, we want to celebrate him and keep him going, keep his memory going,” said Melodie-Joy Miller.
“There are superheroes in all of us and if we can be that, that’s want Nathan would want us to be and that’s what he emulated in his life.
READ MORE: Grieving family says final farewell to ‘Superhero’ Nathan O’Brien
The tournament includes 24 teams. Some of the players were former teammates of Nathan O’Brien.
“He was always nice on the team and he would always smile and he would never give up,” said Charlie Peppinck, a former teammate.
Peppinck dedicates every game to Nathan O’Brien.
“Every time he scores a goal he’ll tap Nathan’s sticker on the side of his helmet,” said Peppinck’s mother Jody. “It’s really sweet.”
The tournament runs until Sunday. There will be a special ceremony Saturday at 3 p.m.
The disappearance of Nathan O’Brien and his grandparents Alvin and Kathryn Liknes has since been ruled a homicide.
Police have charged Douglas Garland in connection with their deaths.
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