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