Tuesday, March 1, 2011 Hundreds celebrate the life of a Good Samaritan mowed down by a drunk driver.
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ary Annivers 1985-2010
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Olympic gold medalist Malcolm Howard joined Larry Wright, his son Casey Wright, Brenda Longland, Casey’s mom Kim, brother Zacary, and sister Jemma at Rogers Arena in Vancouver Thursday. A few more photographs of the experience online.
Darren Gordon photo
Community
Canucks game brightens sick boy’s day Casey Wright was able to experience his first pro-hockey game ever, thanks to love and support of special friends. by Amy Judd ajudd@mrtimes.com
The chance to watch a Canucks game from a private suite, with food, drinks, and an Olympic gold medalist thrown in for good measure, would be enough to excite anyone. But for the Wright family, the chance to see the joy in their 10-year-old son Casey’s eyes, made the evening even more special. “It was fantastic,” said father Larry Wright. Casey, who attends Maple Ridge Elementary, was diagnosed at only six months old with a cancerous brain tumor. Next month will be the tenth anniversary of that diagnosis, and although the tumor is now dormant, he has to have MRIs every six months to monitor it. Larry Wright, who is a photographer
for the TIMES’ sister paper, The Burnaby NOW, met a woman named Rhonda Gebara last October, who, along with boyfriend Mike Shamro, heard about Casey’s story. It touched their hearts. As a treat, they arranged for Casey and his whole family to have a tour of Teck’s Highland Valley Copper mine in Logan Lake. But the story doesn’t end there. Brenda Longland, community and public relations manager for Metropolis at Metrotown, heard about what Gebara and Shamro had done, and wanted to plan a reunion at a Canucks game. Metropolis has a “hot-seat-suite” for contest winners, and sometimes they use it for members of the community. “We wanted to have it as an opportunity to invite people in the community to have a great night off,” said Longland. The story of the Wrights and the mine was the perfect occasion to use the suite. “It really touched my heart,” Longland said. “Not only about the Wright family, but also recognizing what Rhonda and Mike did.” For the Wrights, Thursday night was a
treat of great hockey, (the Canucks beat for,” she added. the St. Louis Blues 3-2) and a chance to “I believe it was a great win-win for see old friends. For Casey’s mom Kim, everyone,” Larry said. along with Casey, sister Jemma, 12, and Casey may be small for his age, and brother Zacary, eight, it was the first time has gone through a lot in his short life, they had ever seen a pro hockey game. but he seems to be able to charm every“I would say they were light fans one he meets. And everyone in the suite [before],” said Wright. “But after Thursday night enjoyed his company and [Thursday] night, I would say they’re all chatter, said his father. fans.” “Doing these kinds of outings is just “It’s going to be hard so special,” said Larry, to go to a regular game explaining that they are “It’s great that these now,” Dad laughed. even more important events come by once because it involves the The family was able to walk around the suite, talk entire family. in a while and they to each other, and they “It’s great that these are for the whole even received a visit from events come by once in a family.” Canucks mascot Fin, and while and they are for the got to see Casey’s name whole family,” he said. Larry Wright up on the JumboTron. It was a night to rememJoining them was Beijing ber, but for the Wright Olympic rowing gold medalist Malcolm kids, the excitement wore them all out. Howard, who brought along his medal for “After an event like that, we PJ up and everyone to hold and admire. they’re asleep by the time we hit the free“It was funny to see little Casey and way,” Larry laughed. big, big Malcolm,” said Longland. “A big thank you to Brenda at “People were enjoying themselves and Metropolis, and our dear, dear friends that’s exactly what we could have hoped Mike and Rhonda.”
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