RIP Maddie
In a previous post (well I thought I had mentioned it, but can’t seem to find the exact post), I talked about the wonderful gesture Kris Draper made to a little girl, Maddie, dying from bone cancer and her single father, Paul. Draper had invited them to a Red Wings game and let them come downstairs to the locker room (where the media was not allowed) and then would call to check up on her.
He gave her a signed game used stick, a jersey with her name on the back signed by Robert Lang, Chris Osgood, Niklas Kronwall, Tomas Holmstrom, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brett Lebda and head coach Mike Babcock. Draper even asked for her autograph and put her photo up in his locker stall next to his kids’ photos.
This kind of meeting with the Red Wings happens all the time. Babcock invites a sick child to every home game. Ten to 15 times a season, the Wings host a child through the Make-A-Wish program.
But this was different.
The Red Wings rolled out the red carpet for Maddie, at Draper’s request.
“We have a lot of kids who come to practices and say hi to the guys at practice,” said Anne Marie Krappmann, the Red Wings community relations manager. “Something like this is very special because Kris did this on his own. This is a result of his heart. Kris has a daughter who is a year younger than Maddie. It touched him not only as a person, but as a father.”
Sadly, Maddie passed away on Sunday and a funeral was held yesterday. The Detroit Free Press had been detailing her journey since the summer and had this little bit about what Draper did once she passed away.
A Red Wings jersey, given to her by Kris Draper, was framed and displayed about 20 feet from her casket. Draper attended a private visitation Tuesday afternoon and met with several family members. He hugged Trudel and gave him the puck from the goal he scored Monday night.
Draper may not be our best player and some of you don’t want him on the team anymore, but it seems to me that his charity contributions to this community is top notch. He goes above and beyond his “duties to the community” and really made a difference in Paul and Maddie’s lives.
RIP Maddie.
Related Posts
6 Responses to “RIP Maddie”
Leave a Reply
November 30th, 2006 at 5:00 pm
A very calss act by Mr. Draper. Kudos to him for being a genuine human being. I wish there were more like him in the world.
November 30th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
[…] The folks at Behind the Jersey posted a very touching article regarding Detroit Red Wing Kris Draper and a very special fan. Read more here. […]
November 30th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
Very nice post. We linked it to our blog. Much thanks.
December 2nd, 2006 at 12:51 am
As a father, it’s easy to feel Paul’s pain. Kris Draper gained a fan today.
December 2nd, 2006 at 11:08 pm
Excellent job, Christy. I’ve added a link, too. Here’s hoping that every one says a prayer for Maddie, her father, Paul, and Kris Draper and his family.
December 5th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
Thanks for the comments & links guys. Like I said in the post, I’ve been reading about Maddie since the summer and she and her dad have been such troopers- a real inspiration to all.