New York’s Hockey Heroes Spent Afternoon at St. Mary’s Hospital for Children to Distribute Toys and Spread Holiday Cheer
Some of New York’s hometown hockey heroes act pretty tough when their out on the ice, but these superstar softies quickly melted when they visited with the kids of St. Mary’s Hospital for Children, the region’s largest provider of intensive rehabilitation, education, and specialized care for children with special needs.
The NY Islanders made a special visit on Wednesday, December 17th to the Bayside hospital to hand out toys and spread some holiday cheer to some of New York areas most seriously ill and injured children battling complex medical conditions.
Taking time out from their busy season, Andy Hilbert, Richard Park, and Mike Comrie arrived wearing their orange and white Islanders jersey’s, with armfuls of autographed books, and were greeted by a roomful of very excited and anxious fans. The trio walked around handing out holiday gifts and Islander memorabilia, sparking laughter with patients and their families.
The players then went around to each unit of the hospital, individually greeting children in their rooms. With smiling faces, the NHL players didn’t miss a patient’s room and were honored to be able to meet some of the most extraordinary and courageous kids.
“Being here really makes me appreciate what I have and it puts everything in prospective for me,” said Mike Comrie, Islanders center.
The Islanders players may know how to bounce back from tough hits, but they were pretty amazed by the way St. Mary’s Kids bounce back to overcome major obstacles every day of their lives.
“These kids are the real heroes, not us,” added Comrie.
