There are certain times in sport when events around it transcend the games we see on the ice, field, or court and have the opportunity to affect the lives of those who love the game in a genuine way.
On Thursday, Carolina Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis called a press conference to do just that.
“We’ve got some really exciting news for the Carolina Hurricanes today,” said Francis. “We are able to sign one of the top free agents out there on the market in Chase Bass.”
You probably haven’t heard of Chase. Not because he plays in some obscure league where a scout discovered a hidden gem but because he’s not a player. He’s a seven-year-old boy suffering from a rare form of cancer.
In coordination with Make-A-Wish, the Hurricanes organization brought Chase in to experience a dream day with his favourite team.
The adventure included meeting the team, a tour of the locker room, a street hockey game, and the contract signing that included a custom “Bass” Hurricanes jersey and hat. Just like the pros.
“It’s amazing, it’s just smiles. All smiles,” said Chase’s mother, Tonya Bass. “I don’t think anything will be better than this cloud nine right now.”
The signing paid instant dividends for the Hurricanes.
Chase scored at least eight goals in his debut during the street hockey game, including a buzzer beater with under three seconds to go. He seemed to find an instant chemistry with forward Jeff Skinner as the two combined for multiple goals and were seen chatting at length in the locker room — something that surprised even his mother.
“That is not the kid I know at my house. That kid is normally shy and won’t speak to [anybody] and right now this has been eye-opening. I mean to watch him talk, I’m going, ‘you sure that’s my kid? My kid doesn’t talk.'”
It’s a trying time for the Bass family and having the day that the Hurricanes and Make-A-Wish provided for them can make all the difference in the world. That is, after all, why Jerry Peters of Make-A-Wish does what he does.
“There’s a lot of visits to the doctor’s office,” he said. “The family gets separated a bit and this wish experience kind of brings everybody back together.”