For fourteen-year-old Kingsley, hockey has always been more than just a game. It’s where he feels most like himself, part of a team, and connected to others. Living with spina bifida and relying on a wheelchair hasn’t always made life easy, but for him, hockey levels the playing field.
Kingsley began watching para ice hockey at six years old and was instantly hooked! He joined practices before he was old enough to be on a team. Kingsley’s mom shares that “It’s where he found his community. There’s such a shift, a camaraderie when he gets to bond with other hockey players, whether it’s stand up or sledge hockey. These are his people.” He plays center for his local sledge hockey team.
The yearly tradition in Kingsley’s household, after the chaos of the holidays, is for his whole family to settle down, do as little as possible, and focus exclusively on watching the World Juniors Games on TV. As a result, Kingsley has grown up obsessively following Team Canada. He knows the scores of all of the games and watches for players who might get traded into the NHL.
When it came time to plan for Kingsley’s Shine Dream, he knew that the opportunity to attend the IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa would be the perfect dream come true for him – and sharing it with his whole family made their tradition even more memorable.
The adventure began on an early December morning at the VIA Rail station, where Shine staff and donors gathered with handmade celebratory signs to send Kingsley off in style. His mom shared that it was really touching to see the effort everyone made to wake up early and make sure he had a great sendoff.
Travelling on the VIA Rail Canada train was another first for Kingsley. “I’ve never been on a train before, so it was cool to see everything outside as we passed by,” he said. “I can’t wait to take the train again.” His mom praised the VIA Rail staff, saying, “They were amazing at making sure Kingsley was comfortable and got on and off the train easily with a lift. It was such a smooth ride, and we loved just relaxing and spending time together.”
Arriving in Ottawa, Kingsley was awestruck by the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, comparing its magnificence to the hotel in Home Alone 2. Laughing, his mom adds “Every aspect of our stay was perfect […] and very accommodating for Kingsley’s needs.”
The highlight of Kingsley’s Shine Dream was, of course, the hockey. Watching the World Juniors live after years of following them on TV was unforgettable. “The energy in the arena, especially during Canada’s games, was massive. It was so cool to see players from all over the world and to be surrounded by fans who love hockey as much as I do.” Kingsley shared.
Kingsley lit up when he talked about the quarterfinals. “The first time I found out that I was going to watch the game in a suite, I couldn’t believe it. It was really awesome to see the game from up there,” he shared. “I’m usually not used to being around such big hockey fans. It was fun to be around people who were as excited as me and would cheer LOUDLY like I would. Watching Canada in the quarterfinals be down 3-1 in the second period and then come back and score two goals to tie it in the third period got us all pumped,” he describes. His mom adds, “The energy in the area was unmatched. For a moment, it felt golden. There was so much camaraderie for all of the Canadians that were there.” Even though Canada lost, the game was an extraordinary experience.
Kingsley returned home feeling more connected to the hockey world and inspired to grow as a sledge hockey player. “Watching the games live helped me understand my position better,” he said. “It makes me wanna go see more live games […] and feel the excitement and energy of being at the arena with everybody.”
Reflecting on the trip, Kingsley said, “Thanks to Shine and the donors for making this happen. Between COVID, [starting] high school, and the surgery I had last year, I haven’t really had a whole lot of time to do fun things.” His mom agreed, saying, “It’s been a challenging few years, but this was a nice change of pace for him.” Kingsley’s Shine Dream was an experience that left him feeling celebrated, inspired, and more connected to the sport than ever.
Thank you to Via Rail Canada, The Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Hockey Canada, and all Shine donors for helping young people like Kingsley shine bright!
