Celebrating a Miracle

Honda Center after the Detroit Red Wings vs. the Mighty Ducks
Waiting to meet coaches & players:
My hubby, Elijah, Me, Dad, Mom, sister Stacy

I feel like I've been gone forever! But the little break was important...we were celebrating a miracle! Not a small miracle, but a real life, honest to goodness answer to over a years worth of prayers.

As many of you know, my dad has been battling 4th stage, inoperable lung cancer and given no more than a year to live. After his most recent CT scan his pulmonoligist told him, "If I hadn't known your background, I never would've known you had cancer." They've never had a patient at their facility, in such an advanced stage of cancer survive this long. He is currently on maintenance drugs.

My mom and dad made a celebration/birthday trip out to attend my dad's favorite hockey team, the Detroit Red Wings southwest games, (which he actually was asked to try out for when he was a young goalie growing up in Michigan. He enlisted in the Marines to serve his country instead & then came back & played Semi-Pro Hockey for the Reno Aces.)

The Red Wings and their owners, the Ilitch family are an incredible, caring group of people. They gave us passes to go down after one of the games. We were taken into a private room to meet the head coach, Mike Babcock (also the gold medal winning coach for the Canadian Olympic hockey team) and his coaching staff. Coach Babcock invited my dad to attend their private practice in Phoenix & then had him come into the locker room to hang out with the guys also.
My mom & dad w/ Coach Babcock

Coach Babcock, Me, My Dad, Asst Coaches Paul Maclean & Brad McCrimmon

My dad has won the battle of his life, been given a second chance & had his dream of meeting & hanging out with his favorite team/coach fulfilled. We feel so blessed and honored to have been a part of this AWESOME event!

My mom cracks me up-she went up to this player & said, "Who are you?
You're cute, will you take a picture with us?"

Elijah-goofing around in the holding area

Hanging out w/the press waiting to meet the coaches


More Detroit Red Wing Players.


Red Wings vs. The Kings Game-a couple nights before

No Anthony wasn't eating two pizza's-he's holding mine!

Thanks for taking us mom & dad-it was AWESOME!

My cousin's wife-Amy & sister Stacy

The Incredible Phone Call

I was racking my brain on what to get my dad for his birthday on March 10th. As many of you know my dad has been battling 4th stage inoperable lung cancer. I wanted to do something special...something he would remember...after about a week & several prayers, the idea finally came to me.

I will contact the owners/manager/coach of the Detroit Red Wings Hockey Team.

My dad was asked to be in their farm program when he was younger as a goalie. He ended up going into the Marine Corp. then after returning played semi pro for the Reno Aces until the team was disbanded.

But his favorite team has always been the Red Wings.

Once I had the idea, I put my super detective ability into full action. I hunted, dug up, re-searched, and finally found an email address to the owners of the team. I wrote a heartfelt email about how amazing my dad is and sent it off. Hoping & praying that out of the hundreds of thousands of emails they receive, they might read & respond to mine.

It was kicked back undeliverable.

Not to be deterred...I went back, messed with the address a little bit...sent it off again & WALLA...it went through!

I attached a link to my blog post with pictures of us at the Red Wings Game, along with my dad's Kodak Father of the Year link to assure them that it wasn't just a hoax...or someone trying to trick them to get something for free based on a fake story.

Next thing I know, they contacted my dad's secretary at work & got some info & then told her that he would receive a phone call in the morning.

THIS MORNING THE CALL CAME!

My dad didn't believe it and almost hung up on him. He thought his friends were playing a trick on him. But finally he realized who it was....

The coach of The Detroit Red Wings, Mike Babcock...also the coach of the Olympic Canadian team that beat the U.S.

RED WINGS STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONSHIP WIN

My dad was shocked! He couldn't believe it. The call came just before he left for his chemo treatment. While going through treatment, he sent me several text messages that I wanted to share (I'm sure he wouldn't mind):

"Currently getting my chemo. I am still on a high. I gathered the staff here at the treatment center and told them the story. I sailed right through chemo. I talked to all the family & told several people in the city. I'll be riding this for weeks!

When he got back to work, I received another text, "It's snowing like crazy but I can't sit in the office. I had to go out for a walk...this was incredible."

As I write this post, another text just came in, "Wow! I'm still flying. What a great day. I have told the story to so many people. Wow!"

What an amazing organization the Red Wings have! I want to send a special thank you to Mr. Ilitch, Mr. Babcock & the PR dept.

They are truly caring people & have made such a difference...THANK YOU!!

**Mr. Babcock told my dad that the next time he is at the Red Wings game, he can come down & meet all the players also!