Wawa-news.com You can't hear the 'big picture'!
On November 22nd the community of Wawa had the opportunity to hear Brady Leavold’s story. Brady Leavold, a retired professional hockey player came to Wawa to share a heartbreaking story. His story is of a young boy’s dream to play hockey. A dream that quickly turned into a nightmare. But within that nightmare, a survivor rose up a better person with a huge desire to help others.At a very young age due to childhood trauma, Brady Leavold’s life was changed but his dream of playing hockey was still very much alive within him. As Brady became a teenager, his hockey career grew but his childhood trauma combined with peer pressure would soon turn his dreams into a nightmare. In a few short years, his mental health and addiction would take him from playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning to homelessness and even to prison.
After getting help Brady, started sharing his life trauma and addiction issues via podcast and on social media platforms. In 2020 he started the Puck Support Network and became a motivational speaker not only on the conference room stage but also on the ice coaching and training young future hockey legends in a world plagued by mental health issues and substance addiction.
Whether it be drugs or alcohol, a small town like Wawa is no different from a big city. Brady’s words of encouragement and hope are exactly what this community needed, especially after the loss earlier this year of our hometown hockey hero and Stanley Cup champion Chris Simon to mental health-related illness caused by the many physical traumas acquired during his career. Brady had a chance to meet the Simon family along with members of the community. Members of the Pic Mobert First Nations community were also in attendance as their little community faces many of the same challenges.
A small team of hockey enthusiasts backed by many community-minded organizations led the charge to bring Brady to Wawa. Anna Liisa Klockars, one of the people responsible for this presentation had this to say when asked what her message to the community was in response to Brady’s presentation, “I couldn’t just answer your question off the cuff. It’s an important subject for me and I wanted to be thoughtful and poignant in my response. It took a lot of time and energy to make this weekend happen and it’s the most important accomplishment of my life to date. So to answer your question, ‘What message did I hope to be conveyed from Brady’s speech’. Don’t shy away from having difficult conversations. Whether it be with your friends, children, siblings, teammates, coaches, students, teachers, co-workers or strangers. Talking about mental health and addictions will lead to some of the most meaningful conversations you will ever have with someone. It may be uncomfortable and you may feel vulnerable but that’s when growth happens. At the end of the day, we are all human and we all have struggles, but that doesn’t mean we have to face them alone. Reach out to someone if you are struggling. Reach out to someone if you think they are struggling. Just start the conversation and remember to ALWAYS lead with kindness.”
Brady’s presentation didn’t end there, the following day he hosted a skills workshop on the ice with local youth hockey teams and those from neighboring communities of White River and Dubreuilville. Brady not only taught them new skills but also boosted their self-confidence and self-esteem.
In the short time I spent with Brady, the words he spoke that stuck with me the most was when he said, “It’s Ok to not be ok. But tell someone you are not ok.” Brady enjoyed Wawa and working with the team that made his visit possible. In addition, he was very grateful for the help he got once here in Wawa with caring for his 4-year-old daughter who traveled with him.
You can find Brady on most social media platforms and by searching the Puck Support Network.
Luc is a support freelance photographer and writer for Wawa-news.
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