The annual Hockey Heroes Weekend is back in Saskatoon with 16 teams competing to raise money for the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
For the Drury family, this tournament is a family affair. Karla Drury said this weekend brings back memories of a fearful day 14 years ago.
“My husband collapsed on this very rink while they were playing,” she said. “They brought out the defibrillator and with one shock brought him back.”
There are approximately 40,000 heart attacks in Canada each year and survival rates double if someone performs CPR and uses an Automated External Defibrillator (A.E.D.).
Drury’s daughter Callie is also playing in the tournament and is extremely grateful there was an A.E.D. in the Canlan Ice Sports arena.
“My dad was so lucky to have had one in this rink,” she said.
Participants were also given a once in a lifetime chance to share the ice with their NHL heroes while fundraising to support research for the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
Heroes like Jeremy Roenick, Lanny McDonald and Bryan Trottier were drafted to each participating teams roster.
The Drury women are playing on the only all-female team in the tournament and Callie wants to encourage more people to involved in the event.
“We’re all here to play for the Heart & Stroke Foundation,” she said. “Meet new people and have fun. It’s not who’s winning or who’s losing this weekend.”
So far, over $450 thousand dollars has been raised to help fund more lifesaving research and is the amount is expected to continue to rise over the weekend.
Comments