Edmonton Oilers remember young fan Ben Stelter: ‘So strong, so brave, such a fighter’ | Globalnews.ca

0

Members of the Edmonton Oilers shared their grief and their memories of a special fan Thursday, after six-year-old Ben Stelter passed away following a battle with brain cancer.

Read more:

Beloved Oilers fan Ben Stelter dies after fight with cancer: ‘The world lost the most special boy’

“He was an amazing little guy who lit up every room he was in,” Oilers captain Connor McDavid said.

“This is a very tough day for entire Oilers family, all the fans, but most importantly, the family,” he said. “It’s just a terrible day and we’re thinking about the entire Stelter family.”

When he was four, Ben was diagnosed with glioblastoma — an aggressive type of brain cancer. He underwent surgery to remove the tumour, as well as several rounds of chemotherapy and dozens of radiation sessions. However, last December, the tumour returned and Ben began more rounds of radiation treatments over the winter.

Story continues below advertisement


Click to play video: 'Beloved Edmonton Oilers fan Ben Stelter, 6, dies after fight with brain cancer'







Beloved Edmonton Oilers fan Ben Stelter, 6, dies after fight with brain cancer


Beloved Edmonton Oilers fan Ben Stelter, 6, dies after fight with brain cancer

His family revealed he passed away Tuesday night.

“The world lost the most special boy and an absolute hero last night,” his dad Mike Stelter said in a statement posted to Twitter on Wednesday. “Ben, you were the best son we could ever hope for and you were my best bud ever.

“Our hearts are left with a Ben-sized hole in them and life will never be the same without you. We are absolutely crushed. We love you our sweet Benny boy.”

Story continues below advertisement

Ben captured the hearts of the team and the hockey world with his viral videos cheering team on. A huge Oilers fan, Ben’s dream was to meet McDavid. The two met last fall and then, in March, Ben skated to centre ice with his hero for the anthems.

“Ben meant so much to myself, to my teammates,” McDavid said Thursday. “The relationship that developed over the course of a year or so was something I certainly won’t forget.

“Sharing that moment with him… to see his face, be close with him… Not a lot of people get to experience what the ice feels like, what it sounds like. It was pretty loud in there. To experience that with him was really special for me and something I’ll always remember.”

Read more:

5-year-old Oilers fan battling cancer steals the spotlight at Thursday’s game

McDavid said he fell in love with Ben and his entire family after their first meeting.

“I just loved being around him.

“Just such an amazing kid. So strong, so brave. When you watch someone go through that… especially a five or six-year-old kid, that was so inspiring. He was such a fighter.”


Click to play video: 'Edmonton Oilers inspired by young superfan battling brain cancer'







Edmonton Oilers inspired by young superfan battling brain cancer


Edmonton Oilers inspired by young superfan battling brain cancer – May 2, 2022

Zach Hyman shared memories of when Ben joined him for a post-game news conference.

Story continues below advertisement

“He wasn’t nervous or shy at all. He was ready to go on stage, excited to go on stage.

“Some players would be nervous in front of a room full of media. This guy was excited, huge smile on his face.

“Someone asked him who his favourite player was and he looked at me and said: ‘Connor,’” Hyman said with a laugh. “They really did have a special connection.

“The fans were all chanting his name. That was a really cool moment… something I’ll cherish forever.”

Read more:

Edmonton Oilers 50/50 supports cancer research in honour of young fan battling disease

Ben, Hyman agreed, had a special energy about him.

“If any of you met Ben, you understand… he lit up any room. What he went through, you wouldn’t know it just by meeting him. He always had a smile on his face… He was such a good kid.

“He touched the entire hockey world. He’s going to be greatly missed. He’s such an inspiration for all of us. What he went through puts everything in perspective,” Hyman added.

“We’ll miss him a lot.”


Click to play video: 'Calgary Flames show support for Ben Stelter, the 5-year-old Edmonton Oilers superfan battling brain cancer'







Calgary Flames show support for Ben Stelter, the 5-year-old Edmonton Oilers superfan battling brain cancer


Calgary Flames show support for Ben Stelter, the 5-year-old Edmonton Oilers superfan battling brain cancer – May 20, 2022

Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said the loss is hitting the team hard and they’re all sending their deepest sympathies and condolences to Ben’s family.

Story continues below advertisement

“As a father myself, I get to see the impact professional athletes have on children. But what I found really interesting about our time with Ben was how a child had an impact on an organization and team.

“I was greatly impressed with the courage of a young man who defined what a bright light was,” Woodcroft said.

Read more:

Flames’ Tkachuk shows support for Edmonton Oilers super fan battling brain cancer

“It put a lot of things in perspective for a lot of people in defining what’s important in life. To see the courage this young man had to battle what he had to battle and the lessons to be learned from him.

“We lost a little boy who displayed nothing but courage on a daily basis (and) he was able to inspire a team, he was able to inspire a city.

“It was special for me to see the affect he had on so many people. I know I’m just thankful for the time I got to spend with him. We lost a bright light but his spirit will live on.”


Click to play video: 'Edmonton hockey community continues to come together for Ben Stelter'







Edmonton hockey community continues to come together for Ben Stelter


Edmonton hockey community continues to come together for Ben Stelter – Jun 6, 2022

© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our  Twitter, & Facebook

We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.

For all the latest Sports News Click Here 

Read original article here

Denial of responsibility! Rapidtelecast.com is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.
Leave a comment