hockeyville88 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Amazing how, even with a sore ankle, Henrik still managed to go visit the kid. ST. PAUL, Minn. — Vancouver Canucks defenceman Andrew Alberts has been a healthy scratch several times this season and sometimes that requires a little perspective. Alberts got it when the Twin Cities native gathered a few of his Canucks teammates after Wednesday's late-afternoon practice and visited Jack Jablonski, the 16-year-old Minneapolis-area teen who was left paralyzed after a hit from behind during a junior varsity high school hockey game on Dec. 30. Jablonski's devastating injury had an effect on most who play the game, either professionally or recreationally, but few more so than Alberts. Jablonski attends the same high school Alberts graduated from — Benilde-St. Margaret's — and Alberts met the teen last summer. "Every now and then they'll grab a group of young kids and they'll come and work out with the pro guys at the gym we train at," Alberts said before Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Wild. "So I had a chance to meet him this past summer and he's just a great kid, a good hockey player. You don't want to see it happen to anybody, but he's got the right attitude. That's the biggest thing." Alberts and the other Canucks who visited Jablonski — including Cory Schneider, Dan Hamhuis, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Alex Edler, Mason Raymond and Manny Malhotra — were all struck by his positive attitude. "It must be so frustrating to be laying in a bed when he should be at high school playing hockey with his friends," Hamhuis said. "But he seemed to be doing really well. He was upbeat and carried the conversation in a room with seven or eight NHL guys. It was pretty neat to see." Jablonski's spinal cord was severed and two vertebrae were fractured when he was hit from behind in that game. He was recently moved from hospital to a rehabilitation centre and Alberts said he is making remarkable progress. "It's tough to see anybody like that, but his spirits are up and he's breaking new barriers every day doing things they said he wasn't going to do," Alberts said. "I'm proud of his effort and he is staying positive and that is the biggest thing. He was talking about the video game he is playing with electrodes attached to his triceps so every time he flexes his triceps he works the game. "So his muscles are moving and and he's starting to feel things with his left and right hands. Every day is a building block for him and he sees progress every day and it's huge." Alberts said Jablonski seemed particularly delighted to meet the Sedins. "I think he was surprised at how many guys came. I know Hank and Danny are a couple of his favourite players and he enjoyed it." Schneider said the visit will have a lasting impact on him and the rest of his teammates. "Andrew wanted a few of us to go down and let Jack know that he is not alone and that we are thinking of him," Schneider said. "The hockey community is pretty tight-knit and we all know it could happen to anybody at any time. That's the scary reality of it. He was unfortunate enough to have it happen to him at such a young age. It was the least we could do to share our thoughts and show him we're behind him and hopefully he can make as much of a recovery as he can." http://www.faceoff.c...9351/story.html Jablonski tweeted this: Got the pleasure of meeting 8 Vancouver Canucks tonight #unreal Jenna Privette, a female hockey player from Minnesota, also suffered the same injury and is also paralyzed. The media hasn't reported her story at all. Everyone seems transfixed on Jablonski's so Privette hasn't gotten the same support. Wish someone would report her story too. I'm sure the Canucks would have loved to stop by and lend her some support. At any rate, great to see that the team gives back to the community not only in Vancouver but wherever they go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwnstar Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 that is heartwarming, stay classy vancouver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stexx Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 classy by the boys, but wow i had no idea that a girl was paralyzed as well although from reading it looks like her prognosis is a bit better. "In 2008, Jenna Privette, then an eighth-grader, suffered a hockey-related injury that left her paralyzed. Penny Privette said her daughter regained use of her upper body and limbs in stages over a period of about 1-1/2 weeks." and now shes injured again, im surprised they let her play hockey again after an injury like that. Kind of sad that she gets no media support outside of minnesota that i could find. http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_19920629 (article on jenna for anyone that wants it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XX_canucks33_XX Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 wow.....great humanitarian act from Canucks. makes me proud as a fan :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyville88 Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 classy by the boys, but wow i had no idea that a girl was paralyzed as well although from reading it looks like her prognosis is a bit better. "In 2008, Jenna Privette, then an eighth-grader, suffered a hockey-related injury that left her paralyzed. Penny Privette said her daughter regained use of her upper body and limbs in stages over a period of about 1-1/2 weeks." and now shes injured again, im surprised they let her play hockey again after an injury like that. Kind of sad that she gets no media support outside of minnesota that i could find. http://www.twincitie...rts/ci_19920629 (article on jenna for anyone that wants it) Cheers thanks for the link I didn't realize that she'd suffered a similar injury in 08. Scary stuff. Wishing both teens all the best in their recoveries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-DLC- Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 If ever there was inspiration to play hard, playing for those who can't surely is. I'm sure the boys left with the reminder that playing the game they love is a gift and to appreciate every moment of it. To see a kid who's handling it so well also likely puts it all in perspective... Hope both of these players do well in recovery - so sad when young people are stripped of their ability to enjoy the things they love. Glad to see that the remarkable technology we have today still allows for video gaming in this situation - pretty amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Giraffe Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Wow, this organization never ceases to amaze me by the way they're out giving back to people and places all over. Just another example of how this team is "classless" and the "most hated team in the league" though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayl Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I'm so glad that some of the guys went to visit him. It really makes you realize how lucky MayRay was after his broken bones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Giraffe Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Oops double post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Giraffe Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Oops, another post, lol. If any thread deserves it though it's this one. Great story, thanks for the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmpunk Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 awsome story! I don't care what anybody says, The Vancouver Canucks organization are a damn classy organization with some classy players. Enough said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimplyHockey Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 <p> Amazing how, even with a sore ankle, Henrik still managed to go visit the kid. http://www.faceoff.c...9351/story.html Jablonski tweeted this: Jenna Privette, a female hockey player from Minnesota, also suffered the same injury and is also paralyzed. The media hasn't reported her story at all. Everyone seems transfixed on Jablonski's so Privette hasn't gotten the same support. Wish someone would report her story too. I'm sure the Canucks would have loved to stop by and lend her some support. At any rate, great to see that the team gives back to the community not only in Vancouver but wherever they go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattJVD Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Makes your heart grow a little bit when we hear how down-to-earth and caring our players are. I'm even more proud to be a Canucks fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arman_Canucks21 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Jablonski is just so inspiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rluongo01 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 It's acts like this that make me wonder how we got the title of "most hated team." We have some amazing class acts on this team. Great job boys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustNazzy Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Amazing how, even with a sore ankle, Henrik still managed to go visit the kid. http://www.faceoff.c...9351/story.html Jablonski tweeted this: Jenna Privette, a female hockey player from Minnesota, also suffered the same injury and is also paralyzed. The media hasn't reported her story at all. Everyone seems transfixed on Jablonski's so Privette hasn't gotten the same support. Wish someone would report her story too. I'm sure the Canucks would have loved to stop by and lend her some support. At any rate, great to see that the team gives back to the community not only in Vancouver but wherever they go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Mail Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Well done Alberts and Co.! I'm sure that it works both ways - Hank probably drew some inspiration from the visit as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edler0023 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Warmed my cold, classless Canuck heart. Very inspiring to see Jablonski be so positive after what he has been through - I cannot imagine being in his situation, just ..wow .. Canucks <3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Good job,guys. Who says grateful and privileged cannot meet one another for the bigger picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nuckist Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Its funny how reading an article like that can really put your life into perspective. it really makes you feel silly for some of the things that get you stressed. good on Alberts and the canucks. I hope Jablonski continues getting stronger and keeps inspiring others, like he has just inspired me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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