Young Victor Boissé’s reaction alone was the reason the Canadiens organization continues its traditional tour of Montreal’s children’s hospitals year after year.
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Photo agency QMI, Mario Beauregard
The bedridden boy, dozing and hugging his Canadian dog, his face lit up as he saw Samuel Montembeault, Jake Allen, Michael Pezzetta and Gustav Lindström enter his room in the intensive care unit at Ste-Justine hospital.
“It’s his first smile of the day,” said his mother, Véronique Arvisais.
“He had surgery on the base of his neck yesterday. He has moments of pain, so he takes morphine,” she said.
In another corner of the hospital, Sophia Samaali was eagerly awaiting a visit from Nick Suzuki. With notebook in hand, she couldn’t wait to get an autograph and have her portrait taken with her favorite player.
“When she knew the Canadiens players would be visiting the hospitals, she asked to meet them,” said Aziz, the shy young girl’s father. She loves them so much.”
“I watch almost every game on TV with my dad. I’m excited and happy to be able to see her in person,” Sophia said with stars in her eyes.
Return upon receipt
Photo agency QMI, Mario Beauregard
With smiles on the children’s faces and joy on their parents’ faces, the men of Martin St-Louis completed their mission for the day.
“Earlier we visited a little goalkeeper from Mirabel. He was so happy to see us that he cried,” said Samuel Montembeault.
“These are not always easy times, but we have to be strong for them,” he added. I’m happy to let them forget the slightly more difficult situation they find themselves in for a moment of the day.”
Montembeault is well placed to know the reality of young patients at Ste Justine Hospital, as a member of his family has already found themselves in this situation.
“Hospital visits mean a lot to me. I have a cousin who went through this a few years ago. He had met the Canadiens players. It was so good for him,” said the Bécancour goalkeeper.
It’s not just their presence that brings joy to children. The victory is also a balm in these somewhat darker times.
“There are a lot of people who have small TVs in their rooms. They congratulated us on our victory yesterday. This also puts a smile on their faces. It helps them have fun,” Montembeault argued.
Carefree
When Rafaël Harvey-Pinard joined the team towards the end of last season, it was his first time in hospital. The kind of outing that confirms the importance of the Habs within the community.
“Activities like this provide a better understanding of what being Canadian means to the people,” he said. But we see it even more today. Parents tell us it makes a difference for their child.”
So much so that some patients hoped to extend their stay by a few hours so as not to miss this visit.
“Hubert was supposed to be released from the hospital at 1 p.m. Despite all the delays this morning, we were still able to be here to see the Canadian players,” said Daniel Bourdages.
We don’t know who was happier, dad Daniel or little Hubert, 19 months old, but everyone left with a light heart.
An unforgettable visit for players
Canadian players, including Nick Suzuki and Jake Allen, upon their arrival at CHU Sainte-Justine. Photo agency QMI, Mario Beauregard
It’s not new for the Habs to visit sick children as the holiday season approaches. It is a tradition that Jean Béliveau started in the early 1960s.
If these visits have helped thousands of children over the decades, they take the Canadiens’ players back to the grassroots level. One where the results we expect have nothing to do with winning or losing.
“They fight for real problems in life. We do the job we love and our bad days are nothing more than a sick child’s bad days,” said Brendan Gallagher.
“Every year, the visit to the hospital leaves an impression on me,” continued the player with the most seniority in the Canadian locker room. It always puts things into perspective. As hockey players, we always have short-term memory and stay in our bubble. But when you visit the kids in the hospital, you don’t think about hockey anymore,” he added.
“I also often think about the little boys or girls we meet that day. »
“The Canadian is everything, he is part of us,” sang Michel Como and Thierry Dubé in the 1980s. Every year during their visits to the CHU Sainte-Justine, the Shriners for Children and the Habs at the Montreal Children’s Hospital players can see it.
“We don’t always understand the impact we have on the population. “That makes it clear to us,” Nick Suzuki said. Besides, I always look forward to coming here. This is a truly special activity. I love meeting children and their families. The kids always seem to enjoy seeing us. »
Responsibilities with privilege
Long before he began the career that opened the doors to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Martin St-Louis grew up in Laval idolizing players like Mats Naslund. Over the years he has witnessed the impact of these visits through numerous reports on the subject.
An activity that, in his eyes, is part of the responsibility that comes with the privilege of wearing the blue, white and red sweater.
“As a professional athlete and especially in Montreal, it is an opportunity but above all a duty. It is our duty to give time to people who find themselves in difficult situations. If we can boost their morale, that is our duty,” he reiterated.
A duty that everyone once again fulfilled well.