An Edmonton man completed a 78-kilometre lap around the city’s ring road to raise money for the family of UFC fighter and boxer Tim Hague, who died following a match last month.
READ MORE: ‘Gentle giant’ Tim Hague dies Sunday after Edmonton boxing match
Hague died June 18, leaving behind his nine-year-old son Brady.
Eric Chouinard is hoping to raise about $5,000 to support Brady’s education through GoFundMe and decided to rollerblade around the Anthony Henday on Saturday to get the word out.
The two men bonded through their shared loves of mixed martial arts and being fathers to their children.
READ MORE: Family and friends celebrate the life of boxer Tim Hague
“I lost a good friend… and I’d like to help out his son as best I can,” Chouinard said.
“Tim and I met in 2009. We were both well involved in MMA. I was fighting for MFC at the time and he wanted to recruit me for another fight-promotion company… From there, we became fast friends. We hung out together — we definitely bonded, both of us being dads, raising our kids.
“It’s funny that guys like us, you think we’re big, mean guys, but we’re just big teddy bears.”
Chouinard decided to take on the Henday because of the physical challenge it presented as well as the visibility it offered.
“I wanted something to challenge me. Definitely, 78 kilometres of highway is a challenge. I wanted to be out there, let people see me… I’ve had honks, high-fives, I’ve had people give me water.”
“The gravel is the hard part, trying to stay on the shoulder… The muscle cramps are something I’ve never experienced before.”
READ MORE: Third-party review to be done on boxing match after Tim Hague dies
Hague, originally from Boyle, fought his matches out of Edmonton. He was a mixed martial arts fighter before fighting in the UFC. In 2016, he set his sights on the boxing ring.
The 34-year-old taught Grade Four at École Bellevue School in Beaumont, just south of Edmonton.
“We know Brady would rather have Tim here than any amount of money,” Chouinard said, “but if we can help Brady out, make his life a little easier, I’m going to do it.”
Comments