GUELPH, ON – On a rainy Tuesday afternoon in early April,
Matt Kenney, a rookie forward on the Guelph Gryphons men's hockey team, made a routine trip to the grocery store. Only there was nothing routine about it.
Upon entering the store, Matt found himself being approached by several strangers, each of whom went out of their way to offer him either sincere condolences or genuine compliments. All of these reactions were triggered by Matt's choice of attire for the day. Before leaving for the grocery store, the 21-year-old Arts student from London, Ontario decided to throw on one of his favourite items from his closet: a team-issued green hoodie from the Humboldt Broncos.
Matt Kenney with the Humboldt Broncos in 2014-15
(Photo: Marla Possberg/Special to Postmedia Network)
The reassurance Matt encountered that day in the grocery store was just the latest example of some of the incredible outpouring of support that has come from communities across the country as the entire sports world mourns the loss of 16 lives following the recent Humboldt Broncos bus crash tragedy. According to Kenney, who just three years ago was a member of the Humboldt Broncos, the support has made a big difference.
"In talking with some of the families back in Saskatchewan, I can tell you that all of the donations, kind words and prayers are really appreciated. It has really helped the healing process."
Kenney suited up for 42 games with the Humboldt Broncos during the 2014-15 season. During his time there, he developed several close relationships, including one with Logan Schatz. The two came in as rookies together in Humboldt in 2014, with Schatz going on to become a two-time team captain of the Broncos before losing his life on April 6.
Humboldt Broncos vigil - Jonathan Hayward / AFP / Getty Images
Matt Kenney will board a plane Friday morning (April 13) to return to Saskatchewan to attend funeral services for his late friend and teammate.
It will mark the first time since his playing days with the Broncos that Matt has returned to Humboldt. Since moving on from his Junior hockey days out west, Matt has remained in close communication with several individuals from Humboldt, including Rene and Devin Cannon, the family that billeted him during his time in the SJHL (Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League).
"Rene and Devin are like my second family," says Kenney. "When I was traded to Humboldt, living with them was such a huge help in easing my transition. It was such a good, stable household. Their daughters were around six and nine-years-old when I was there, and they looked up to me like a big brother. It was just a phenomenal experience and a great environment. Rene was the one I reached out to when I heard about the accident. My heart is with them right now."
The Cannon family were billeting three Humboldt Broncos this season, two of whom were among the casualties in the April 6 accident.
When Matt Kenney's plane touches down on Friday, he will get a first-hand glimpse into some of the incredible support that is on display within the town of Humboldt as well as throughout the province of Saskatchewan.
Matt Kenney's Gryphon locker
Kenney describes Humboldt as an extremely tight-knit community, a quality he says that he also has noticed in his short time at the University of Guelph. "I'm so grateful for the support that the people here at U of G have shown. My teammates have been great, and I've even had athletes from other Gryphon sports reach out to me. It means a lot. I've never been more proud to be a Gryphon."
Matt Kenney's story is just one example of the close ties that exist between the Gryphons and the Humboldt Broncos which make the April 6 tragedy hit even closer to home.
Ed Gale spent five seasons on the Guelph Gryphons men's hockey team (2008-09 to 2012-13) and served as the Gryphons' team captain in his final season at U of G. Prior to arriving at Guelph, Gale suited up for Humboldt during the 2007-08 season. The former Gryphon team leader scored one of the biggest goals in Humboldt's franchise history, as his first period tally in the 2008 RBC Cup (National Junior A Championship) gave the Broncos a 1-0 win over the Camrose Kodiaks.
You can join the Gryphon community in supporting the Humboldt Broncos by
donating to their GoFundMe page, which as of Thursday, April 12, had surpassed $9.5 million.
Additional links/resources:
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Matt Kenney's interview with CTV Kitchener
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CBC interview with Matt Kenney
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Good2Talk (toll-free post-secondary student mental health helpline)
