#Humboldtstrong

For the last little while, I haven't really been myself.  I have been battling depression on and off since I was diagnosed with it 20 years ago.  There have been good days and bad.  I've been angry at the world for the last little while, at how my life is going and that I'm almost 40 years old and feeling like I haven't accomplished a darn thing.  Then, I heard the news of EB spokesperson, and sufferer, Jonathan Pitre succumbing to his condition.  At age 17.  Young enough to be my son. 

Then the next day, a bus carrying a Junior A hockey team from Humboldt, Saskatchewan was hit at a dangerous intersection on their way to play a playoff game.  15 people killed, 14 others wounded, and many more whose lives will never be the same.  Like roughly 35 million others, I know what the families and the entire small community of Humboldt, Saskatchewan are going through right now is simply unbearable.  Kids that will never have a chance to graduate and skate for a professional team.  Sons that will not come home to tell their Parents and/or billet family about the big goal they scored or the big save that their teammate made to preserve a victory.  The majority of those kids, again, young enough to be my son.

I have been having trouble trying to find the right words to say the last couple of days.  Then I remembered something a friend said to me when I was preparing to go to a funeral of a co-worker, “It doesn’t matter what you say.  What matters is that you’re there.”  This phrase has never rung more true than now.  I ask everyone who is reading this to please donate to EB awareness to commemorate Jonathan Pitre.  I ask everyone to make a donation to the Humboldt Go Fund Me page, as these people are hurting emotionally as well as financially.  I ask everyone to either wear their favourite hockey jersey, or any sport for that matter, or something green and gold, as a sign of solidarity.  I ask everyone to not just remember the names of the young players, but also these as well:

Darcy Haugan: He was in his 3rd season as Head Coach and was a mentor to the young players.

Mark Cross: First year as Assistant Coach, and former Junior A player in Estevan, Saskatchewan.

Brody Hinz: A high school intern, who volunteered as a statistician.

Tyler Bieber: The play-by-play radio announcer for the Broncos, and worked with Humboldt radio station 107.5 Bolt FM.

Glen Doerksen: The driver of the bus, who worked for Charlie's Charters and was a great family man.

I also ask everyone not to jump to conclusions and start laying blame.  This has been tough on everybody and the police and investigators need time to conduct a proper and thorough inspection.  I realize that in this Social Media age, people want answers now, but in order for people to conduct a proper investigation, we are all going to have to wait.

After I let all of that sink in, I was immediately stricken with guilt.  I had the nerve to say I wasn’t happy with my life at age 38, when these people likely just got their learner’s permit, and haven’t had the chance to enjoy what life really has to offer.  I know depression isn’t at the fault of the person who has it, but still, news like this certainly puts things into perspective.

I am going to end this piece by saying this: Don’t be afraid of getting older.  It’s a privilege unfairly denied to many.

#Humboldtstrong