When seven-year-old Alyx Delaloye left chemotherapy for a Winnipeg Jets hockey game earlier this month, she couldn’t have known that an entire city was about to rally around her, including one particularly generous boy named Keaton.
Earlier this year, Alyx was given a standing ovation when her family was shown on the Jumbotron screen during a game. She and her mother had been holding up a sign that read, “Chemo by day, Jets by night,” and once players on both the Jets and Dallas Stars saw them up on screen, they began banging their sticks on the ice. The crowd, too, gave a standing ovation.
Two weeks ago, the Jets invited Alyx and her family back, and that’s when nine-year-old Keaton Hamin chose his own moment to shine.
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When one of the players handed Keaton an autographed hockey stick, Alyx promptly ran down the aisle to take a look. Moments later, after she returned to her seat, Keaton went in search of Alyx and handed her his prize.
Alyx, who was clearly shocked, thanked Keaton with a big hug.
The boy told the CBC, “It was really exciting when I got the stick, but right away my instinct knew I had to give it to Alyx.”
Keaton’s dad, Ken Hamin said his son’s actions made him feel good and “super proud.” Not to be outdone, Mr. Hamin gave the whole Delaloyes family tickets to another Jets game that would follow Alyx’s next round of chemo, and the two families attended together.
The Winnipeg club had a surprise waiting for young Keaton. Before the game, he was handed a brand new, autographed hockey stick from the Jets — a way of saying thanks for his generosity.
(WATCH the full story below, from CBC’s The National) – Photos via JetsTV
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It’s hard not to cry when you read this one! My friend’s daughter was diagnosed at age 16 with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma so I know how tough chemo is on a kid. Her daughter was very proud of her thick and shiny black hair and was devastated when it all fell out. She ended up with a lot of very cool scarves given to her by friends and family and once she was better, she donated them to the hospital that cured her. Thankfully she’s been in remission over 5 years and her hair came back even thicker than before.
What Keaton (and the teams) did for Alyx is about the best medicine a cancer patient can get–a big smile! Best of luck to you, and your family, Alyx and I hope GNN does a follow-up story once you’re cured…and then another when you get engaged to Keaton.