The President of Airdrie Minor Hockey says the tragedy that occurred Friday night, where a bus carrying the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's Humboldt Broncos was hit by a semi, killing 15 and injuring 14 others, touches everyone in the hockey world.

Cliff Gunther says the effect the tragedy will have on individuals will be immense.  "We touch each other on different levels all the time.  We may have played kids on the team, we may have coached with coaches, we may have managed with managers that have all had some piece to do with one of those kids along the line or one of those coaches along the line.  It's going to have a major effect on everyone."

Gunther says when he first heard there had been a bus accident his mind began to think immediately of kids from Airdrie who might have been with the team or playing in the area.

"We have kids from our community playing all over, so I right away began to think, who and if we had any players playing for the team or out in that direction and what kind of effect that might have had on our local population.  Then as you started to hear more with regards to just the sheer volume and numbers, it had a larger effect on our hockey community as a whole."

Gunther is overwhelmed by the enormity of the incident, saying he never thought something of this magnitude could happen.

"There has been bus accidents.  There's been plenty of things that have happened over the years but nothing like this.  I could never imagine this happening at all."

Although the bus crash only happened on Friday night, Gunther says Airdrie Minor Hockey is already making plans on how they can help the Humboldt hockey community.

"Yes, we're in the process of working through some things.  We'll have more information on that as we move forward.  We are in the process of putting together some committees and groups that will figure some things out for sure.  We've always stepped up and helped where we can and we will continue to do so, just like everyone else that's involved in hockey.  We'll be involved for sure."

Gunther says it will take a long time for Humboldt's hockey community to recover from the tragedy, but he's confident they will.

"The one thing I do know is the world of hockey and the bond that is created through hockey is everlasting.  I can tell you that I've read through the list of names (of those killed) and I personally have not had an interaction but I know the people that I'm working with now, many of them have.  It's just going to take time."

 

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