Dreams came true for a couple young Oilers fans yesterday, who met their hockey heroes in real life.
For 17-year-old right-winger Shannon Boese, watching Ales Hemsky glide through practice yesterday was more than a chance to improve her game. The Camrose Grizzly was almost benched permanently, when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year.
“The night before my surgery, they told me I might not be able to walk for a year,” she said yesterday.
Not only is Boese walking, but she’s playing hockey and faithfully following her favourite team, which she says gave her motivation to get back on the ice.
“They’re such good people,” she said. “You see them fall down, get up, get their teeth knocked out and they keep on going. When you get hurt, you don’t just quit — you keep on kicking.”
Boese joined Todd Davison, a wheelchair-bound 12-year-old with cerebral palsy, who was awestruck in the presence of defenceman Steve Staios and centre Andrew Cogliano.
The pair came face-to-face with the players thanks to the Children’s Wish Foundation which recently raised enough cash to put Davison in a wheelchair that helps him stand.
“One of his absolute dreams was to stand up at a hockey game and cheer on the Oilers,” said Todd’s mother, Cymantha Davison. “Now he’s able to do that.”
