John McGregor stood along the glass at the west end of the Evinrude Centre Saturday morning with his digital camera ready, as he watched the Kawartha Komets special needs hockey team play the Innisfil Snow Dogs.
His son Robert, a 29-year-old goalie, is between the pipes and just swatted at a puck that deflected off his chest protector.
Robert has been playing with the Komets for four years, he has no sight at all and relies on other senses like hearing and touch to guide him between the posts. He’s also got a coach with him behind the goal, acting as his eyes and telling him where the play is heading.
But that’s just the beginning of his story.
Last year Robert’s kidneys began to fail him. He needed a transplant to survive. After some rigorous testing, his father John fit the match as a donor.
“These are major surgeries and at any point I could have been ruled out or something could have happened,” John said. “The key element is immediately my kidney started working in Robert and his appetite is back, his health is back, his energy is back and three months later Robert is back playing hockey.”
January 27 was a day that had been etched in the goaltender’s mind for some time, as this marked the day he’d planned to make his comeback and he didn’t disappoint, stopping all shots he faced.
“It was a huge relief just to finally get that (surgery) done and over with,” said Robert. “I’m three months out of the surgery now and feeling good health-wise. I’ve been looking forward to this a long time.”
The family credits hockey with helping spur on his quick recovery. As Robert will admit, hockey has had a big impact on his life.
“Robert was determined and he wanted to play for the Komets,” said his proud father John. “And there is a tournament coming up and he wanted to play in it. So this is some momentum.”
The Kawartha Komets have been playing in the Special Hockey International league for nine seasons. It’s a place where miracles happen every time the team touches the ice, and for the organizers it’s stories like Robert’s that make it all worth it.
“Our motto is making dreams come true,” said Komets board president and co-founder David Fisher. “That was the dream for Robert originally and to come back after the surgery and play again today, is another dream realized.”
For Robert, the chance to get back on the ice meant the months of rehab and hard work had paid off.
“Everyone who plays the sport, loves the game of hockey, and that’s why I’m back,” he said.
Following the game, his teammates rallied around him and gave Robert a standing ovation in the dressing room.
Moments like this are big part of the everyday magic that comes with playing and witnessing special needs hockey.