A nine-year-old boy who made the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium his second home was remembered Saturday by family, friends, teammates and members of a hockey community that rallied around him during his battle with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. Harrison Yoshy died in early October, just one week before his 10th birthday. His family held a celebration of life at the auditorium, a place that held special meaning for the young hockey player. For his father, Kody Yoshy, there was no more fitting location to honour his son. “This was Harrison’s favourite place. It was his version of the church,” he said in an interview Saturday. “He was here every Friday night cheering on the [Kitchener Rangers], running through these corridors.” The celebration brought together people whose lives Harrison touched, with the family inviting the wider community to attend. A rare and aggressive cancer Harrison was practicing with the Kitchener Jr. Rangers U10 AAA team last Christmas when he started to experience symptoms, including a sudden fall during practice and disorientation. Doctors discovered two brain tumours, and he was diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer, in February. In March, his family said Harrison had completed 30 days of radiation treatment while they waited to learn what would come next. Despite the diagnosis and treatment, his family said he continued to approach life with the same determination and enthusiasm that had always defined him. “It’s unimaginable. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. But, for Harrison himself, it never got him down. He continued to be the light of our lives,” Kody told CTV News during an interview in October. His story resonated with people across southwestern Ontario. Stickers bearing his name, his number 14 and the Kitchener Rangers logo appeared on helmets, in arenas and on players’ equipment, becoming a visible show of support for the young fan. The Kitchener Rangers also welcomed Harrison and his family for a ceremonial puck drop before a game against the London Knights in February. A love of hockey and a fighting spirit Hockey was a major part of Harrison’s life, but his family and coach said his energy and enthusiasm extended well beyond the rink. Derek Douglas, who coached Harrison for three years, said the he approached everything with an infectious enthusiasm. “Harrison did everything at about 110 per cent, full energy,” Douglas said. “From 7 a.m. till the time he fell asleep that night, he was go, go, go. And that’s how he played hockey. He only had one gear.” Douglas said Harrison became one of his son Calder’s best friends when they were playing U8 hockey. Through that friendship, the families grew close. “Obviously, we were there with them for last few months, where things got really difficult,” Douglas said. “Our heart breaks for their family and what they’ve gone through.” “[People] should remember Harrison with his long hair, that he liked to tell jokes and that he was just great,” Calder said. Douglas described Harrison as a “special boy whose energy was contagious,” adding that he and his family were grateful to have spent the last three years with him. “One of the things we’ve said is trying to live like Harrison. Because he had a zest for life, and he just did everything to the max,” Douglas said. ‘I can’t say enough about the community’ The support from the hockey community and beyond has been a source of comfort for Harrison’s family, both during his illness and after his death. Yoshy said people reached out with messages, kind words and personal stories about his son. “I can’t say enough about the community, the hockey community, just people in general who’ve reached out, that have messaged us, said kind words, have shared stories, it’s just been beyond moving,” he said. Douglas said the response came from people who knew Harrison as well as those who had never met him. “The amount of outreach, fundraisers and messages - it’s been nothing short of amazing,” he said. “Hopefully this made things a little bit easier, knowing that an entire hockey community is standing behind [the family].” Remembering the boy behind the number 14 Saturday’s celebration included a personal detail that reflected Harrison’s personality. The family asked adults to wear a Canadian tuxedo, while children were encouraged to wear their favourite team jersey or a Canadian tuxedo of their own. It was a fitting tribute to a boy who had his own idea of formal attire. “Any time we ever told Harrison to dress up, he always came down in a jean shirt and in jeans and a tie,” Yoshy said, laughing. “You know, we never corrected him. We never made him put on the dress pants.” The family wanted the celebration to be open to anyone who wanted to honour Harrison, reflecting the number of people he had touched. Keeping his legacy alive Although the loss remains difficult for those closest to Harrison, Douglas said there are already conversations about ways to carry his memory forward. “We’re talking about some fundraising initiatives, and we’re hoping that there’s a yearly thing that we do, to get this group together every year and try to just carry his memory on,” he said. For many in attendance, Saturday was about more than remembering the fight Harrison faced. It was about celebrating the life he lived, and making sure the boy behind the number 14 is never forgotten. “[I’m going to] play like him, live like him, score like him,” said teammate Callum Massicotte. “I’m going to live my life like Harrison and be brave,” Calder added.
