Spreading s’
LIGHT
The Dougan family continues daughter’s legacy by creating a foundation in her name DOMENIC FENOGLIO
sports editor
T
he sparkling, silver glint of the Stanley Cup sitting on Wightman Field on a sunny Thursday afternoon is reminiscent of Arianna Dougan’s personality; from her Fancy Nancy Halloween costume to her glittering chandelier, everything about Ari radiated like a star. That light shone throughout her losing battle against neuroblastoma. It also sparked an unlikely, unbreakable friendship with St. Louis Blues forward Vladmir Tarasenko. Tarasenko and the Blues organization supported Ari her life after diagnosis. After her passing, they hoped to do something special for her two older brothers, sophomore
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Aidan and senior Liam Dougan. The Blues arranged to bring the cup to Ladue Horton Watkins High School as a surprise. “I was a little bit shocked for most of it,” Liam said. “It was a well-kept secret.” Ari’s story began long before the Blues hoisted the cup. She first met Tarasenko at a Hockey Fights Cancer night; she got to walk down a red carpet with the Blues player. She immediately made an impression, and her mother, Lori Zucker, noticed the bond formed between them because of Ari’s shimmering personality. “They assigned each kid a player, and she happened to get Mr. Tarasenko,” Zucker said. “He was super sweet. They immediately became friends. Ari had that kind of effect on people; she batted her eyes and they
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became her best friend.” It wasn’t long before the Blues invited Ari on a road trip with the team to Arizona and Colorado so she could watch them play the Coyotes and the Avalanche. Her mother saw that her dazzling attitude inspired all of those around her. “It was so amazing. They treated us like royalty,” Zucker said. “[Tarasenko] walked her onto the plane, where they had all kinds of things waiting for us. Everybody high-fived her, and [the pilots] went over the announcements and said, ‘We would like to welcome Arianna Dougan.’ They did anything they could do to make it special.” The Colorado Avalanche were also kind to Ari, giving her a placard and a stuffed animal to remember her trip. Still loyal to her hometown,
SPREAD DESIGN BY D. FENOGLIO