The Mission Minor Hockey Association (MMHA), like the rest of Canada, is mourning the loss of 15 people, many of them teenage hockey players.
The tragedy took place on Friday when a collision between a bus and a tractor trailer in Saskatchewan killed 15 people and injured 14 more.
The Humboldt Broncos were on their way to a playoff game in Nipawin when the crash occurred.
News of the deaths left the hockey community reeling. Vigils have been held and condolences have poured in as the families, community and hockey players around the country, attempt to deal with the loss.
A message on the Mission Minor Hockey Association’s Facebook page says “MMHA community is shocked and saddened over the tragic news of the accident involving the Humboldt Broncos Junior A hockey club. We are devastated to learn of the fatalities and the serious injuries.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the Broncos organization, the families, the friends, the fans and entire Humboldt community.
“Our hockey community is a tight-knit family. We will come together in support of each other in the days ahead, as we mourn those lives lost, remember the injured and support those whose lives are forever changed by this tragedy.”
Mission Minor Hockey players are planning to take part in Jersey Day, on April 12, by wearing their jerseys to school to show support.
Angel Elias, manager of the Mission Midget A1 team, is helping to coordinate several events.
“We’re humbled by and saddened by what has happened. This has hit our community, the hockey community as a whole, pretty hard. We are all hockey parents,” said Elias
In conjunction with Jersey Day, Elias said special stickers are being created, courtesy of NuTek Sign Creations, to put on the jerseys in memory of the Broncos players.
Mission Secondary School has a hockey game at 12:30 p.m. at the Mission Leisure Centre on April 12 as well.
“They will be doing a moment of silence in honour of the Broncos.”
Some Mission families, like families across the country, are displaying hockey sticks outside their front doors to show their support.
On April 16, MMHA is hosting its annual awards night and will be collecting donations for the GoFundMe page set up for the families.
The GoFundMe page has already reached nearly $6 million as of Monday morning.
