OLDS - Two local residents have combined forces to create a piece of art they hope will help the Humboldt Broncos and the surrounding community heal from the horror of the April 6 crash between the team's bus and a semi-trailer.
Olds resident Daryl Lowey, who owned an ambulance service in Humboldt in the '80s and served as a trailer for the Broncos in those days, was so affected by the tragedy that he asked Clint Jackson of Treadpro Tire Centre in Olds to create a piece to help that healing take place.
Jackson created an aluminum sculpture about six feet by four feet that depicts all 16 people killed in the tragedy surrounded by two big angel's wings and two crossed hockey sticks.
On the hockey sticks it says, "Forever Broncos, 2018, April 6." Also, on one stick a quote from Humboldt mayor Rod Muench is paraphrased. It says "We will stickhandle through." The full quote, according to various news media, is "We'll stickhandle our way through this." On another stick it says, "we will reach the goal."
Lowey says plans call for the piece to be transported to Saskatoon and Humboldt the weekend of April 27 at which time surviving members of the team, billets, and others related to the team and community of Humboldt will be given the opportunity to sign it.
Lowey says when he learned of the bus and semi-trailer crash he felt he had to do something, especially given his connections with that team and community, so he asked Jackson to create the piece.
Jackson was happy to do it because he too felt a connection.
"I just had a son that was in a bad accident last year. I know how they feel," he says.
Jackson says it took him just under a week to create it.
"I just worked at it as I had a chance, between stuff. It took a few nights and stuff," he says.
Lowey says he's never done anything like this before.
"To be honest, I don't know what prompted me to do it," he said. "It's just my affiliation with the team and with the community itself and giving them the chance to heal."
"There was (lots) of money that was being donated and whatnot. I wanted to do something more. I wanted to give something that would help the community heal," Lowey says.
"I'm not a religious person by any means but there's a lot of people who are saying they're sitting with angels, things like that. So I'm giving the billets and anybody associated with the Humboldt hockey club the opportunity to be their spectators. Let's make them the home team when they're up there," he adds.
"I don't know; maybe it'll give some closure to the people affected and whatnot, just by going up and signing the back of this thing. I know I'm going to do it."
When interviewed, Lowey was not entirely certain what would happen to the artwork once it's presented to Humboldt council.
"A friend of mine -- actually one of my former employees -- is on town council in Humboldt now and he had talked about it. He's seen it and says it's absolutely beautiful and will probably be hung up in the arena," he says.
