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Calgary Flames’ Kris Versteeg speaks about Lethbridge hockey players who lost their lives over the weekend

Click to play video: 'Flames’ Kris Versteeg speaks out about Lethbridge hockey players who passed away'
Flames’ Kris Versteeg speaks out about Lethbridge hockey players who passed away
Flames player Kris Versteeg speaks out about Lethbridge hockey players who passed away – Apr 10, 2018

Lethbridge native and Calgary Flames forward Kris Versteeg spoke out on Monday about the Humboldt Broncos bus tragedy that unfolded over the weekend.

“It’s pretty much one of the hardest things [that] as a hockey player — I think [for] all of us – [that we could] have to see,” Versteeg said during the Flames’ year-end news conference.

Versteeg has family connections to the Boulets, whose son was injured and later died following the bus crash near Tisdale, Sask. on Friday.

READ MORE: Here are the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash

Logan Boulet was a Broncos player who hailed from Lethbridge.

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“I know there’s a family from my hometown that is going through hell right now and I couldn’t imagine what they’re going through,” Versteeg said.

Logan and his Broncos teammates were on their way to a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoff game against the Nipawin Hawks when a semi-truck collided with the team’s bus, killing 15 people and injuring over a dozen more.

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On Sunday, the Boulets told Global News their son had been taken off life-support but that he had donated several organs that will help six different people in need.

READ MORE: Turning tragedy into hope: Lethbridge family donates Humboldt crash victim’s organs

Watch below: On April 7, 2018, Humboldt Broncos player Logan Boulet was on life-support, according to his family. They said he would be donating his organs to six people in need.

Click to play video: 'Humboldt Broncos player Logan Boulet on life support, will donate organs'
Humboldt Broncos player Logan Boulet on life support, will donate organs

Growing up in Lethbridge, Versteeg’s brother instructed Logan at a hockey camp. Logan’s dad, Toby, was a teacher at Winston Churchill High School when Versteeg was a student there.

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The NHL player said the Lethbridge hockey community wasn’t only rocked by the Broncos bus tragedy this weekend, but also had to say goodbye to another player in an unrelated circumstance.

“There’s another kid, Brock Hirsche, he passed away as well. It’s been a tough week for the hockey community in Lethbridge.”

Hirsche was diagnosed with testicular cancer in January 2016. Despite successful treatment, his cancer returned in 2017, The Lethbridge Herald reported.

Hirsche, 26, was the former captain of the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns. He passed away after a battle with the cancer.

READ MORE: Pronghorns captain Brock Hirsche facing battle with testicular cancer

Watch below: (From Jan. 19, 2016) Lethbridge native and Pronghorns captain Brock Hirsche revealed he was been diagnosed with cancer.

Click to play video: 'Pronghorns captain Brock Hirsche faces battle with testicular cancer'
Pronghorns captain Brock Hirsche faces battle with testicular cancer

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