By Alisa Howlett/News staff
Nashville Predators defenseman and Brentwood Bay’s very own Matt Irwin reached out to a Victoria family in need of hockey equipment – in the midst of the Stanley Cup Finals. What Finals, right?
Jason Shemilt called on the Facebook community after his son Lincoln’s hockey gear was stolen from a middle school in Greater Victoria.
“Our son is heart broken that his gear is gone,” Shemilt wrote. “At this point we cannot afford to replace any of it and puts him out from continuing the expensive hockey academy that we payed for.” (See full post below.)
The June 1 post reached 77 shares – one of those shares made it all the way to Irwin.
“He wants to be out there with his friends,” Irwin told TSN. “And we know how expensive hockey gear is. I’m so fortunate to have good friends at CCM who were able to help out.”
Melissa Shemilt, Lincoln’s mother, told the PNR over Facebook that her son is “over the moon” after the “amazing act of kindness” demonstrated by Irwin.
“Lincoln eats, lives and breathes hockey. So to have Matt Irwin, a defenseman – the same as Lincoln – helping him out to get back in the game he is believing anything can happen!” she wrote.
Whether or not the Preds take home the Cup, Irwin can skate away with a different sense of pride knowing he helped a young boy continue his hockey dream.
Watch the TSN interview here.
