Although many of you didn’t know of our story until April 7, 2020, it actually started in 2013, in a locker room in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Before Colby left that day, he somehow came across my Instagram page on his home feed. He looked at one of his buddies and told him that I had immediately become his “Instagram crush” and that “I’m going to marry this girl one day”. We hadn’t met. I had zero idea who he was. And I was living in Ontario. But none of that mattered to Colb. He made his mind up that day and nothing was going to change it. Looking back at the last 11 years had I known that I would eventually become Colby’s widow less than 9 months after our dreams came true of us getting married, there is one thing that I’m certain of, I would have only run faster down the aisle to him.
Tuesday, April 7th, 2020. The day that would forever change my life.
It was the day Colby would undergo emergency brain surgery. We didn’t know what the outcome would be. We had no idea if he’d make it through it. All we could do was wait. During that waiting game, I made a vow, to him, to myself, and to anyone that would be willing to listen, that no matter the outcome, I would do all that I could to continue to honor him by sharing his story. Our story. The story of us.
I always knew that if I didn’t use my pain and heartbreak to help others, I wouldn’t be the woman Colby married. He nicknamed me his “little world changer.” I don’t know if I can live up to that name. That’s a lot of pressure. But I do know that no matter how hard and scary it has been for me to be vulnerable about my grief, the thought of not living up to the vow I made that day, scares me so much more. That vow continues to be my motivation every day.
OUR DAILY MOTTO
Be somebody that makes everybody feel like a somebody.
Colb’s Legacy
On April 7, 2020, Colb was helicoptered to Sunnybrook Hospital for emergency brain surgery after not waking up. It was in surgery that they found a Colloid Cyst. An extremely rare fluid-filled sac that forms in the brain, usually in the third left ventricle. Although the removal of the cyst and surgery was successful, Colb passed away four days later on April 11, 2020. Due to his death being during the Covid-19 Global Pandemic, Colb passed away alone in the ICU. Colb lived life to the fullest and never took anything for granted, and even through his tragic death, he is a constant reminder to myself and many others to continue to live life to the fullest.
It breaks my heart but fills it at the same time - watching the whole world see how incredible Colb was, not just as a hockey player but as a person. He was genuine, caring, selfless, had a contagious laughter, but most importantly had the biggest heart. It is an honour now to continue his legacy alongside the Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, and the rest of the hockey community through his memorial fund.
Proceeds from the fund with the Boston Bruins will go to toward the Colby Cave Medical Psychiatric Fund. The fund brings entertainment and enrichment programs such as songwriting and yoga classes, therapy, ukulele lessons, and much more for children and adolescents struggling with psychiatric and medical illnesses.
Proceeds from the fund with the Edmonton Oilers will go toward Colby’s Kids - community programs with an emphasis on mental health initiatives via CASA Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health and providing access to sports for underprivileged children via the former Edmonton Oilers 2nd Shift.