Atlético Ottawa continue championship tour with surprise visit to CHEO

Atlético Ottawa players made a special visit to CHEO with the North Star Cup. CTV’s Dylan Dyson reports.

Still basking in the glow of their Canadian Premier League championship win, Atlético Ottawa brought the North Star Cup and their high spirits to CHEO.

Former CHEO patient Luca Matteo Manguia-Donato was at the iconic blizzard final on Nov. 9 when Ottawa beat Cavalry FC 2-1 at TD Place and was excited to meet two of the team’s star players on Thursday.

“Being at the finals, on their home turf, it was all windy and snowy and they won the cup. It was just very energetic and amazing,” Luca told CTV News.

Before being admitted to CHEO in 2023, Luca was a soccer player himself. He says brushing shoulders with Atlético Ottawa’s Ballou Tabla and Ralph Khoury has him excited for a return to the pitch.

“I battled cancer, it was called Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and I battled it for around six months. And after that, I made a full recovery,” Luca said.

“I did stop (playing soccer) because of the cancer, but I still follow it.”

Luca’s mother, Rosella Donato, says the players brought a boost of joy to the children’s hospital.

“Any time you come to CHEO, it’s not for a good reason,” Donato said.

“The fact that there’s other opportunities to create nicer memories in relation to CHEO is always welcome.”

Atlético Ottawa has partnered with CHEO for several years now, and donated proceeds from some of its ticket sales this past season towards the work done at the hospital.

“It’s all about the children, because they’re truly the heroes, they have their own challenges, and we’re here to ensure that we can bring them a moment of joy,” says Atlético Ottawa COO Alex Mejia.

For star forward Ballou Tabla, still riding the high of his first CPL championship, it was his first time visiting CHEO.

“That’s the best thing you can ask for, is the joy inside of me to see those kids,” Tabla said.

“I make their day better and they can dream about a football career or they can one day want to play soccer.”

“This is just a great way for the kids and the families here at CHEO who may be going through a tough time to remember that there’s people out there in the community that are thinking about them,” says CHEO Foundation President and CEO Steve Read.

“For the Atlético players to come and say hello and brighten their day a little bit, we’re very grateful for the time they’re spending here with the kids.”

The team says is has plans to continue its trophy tour across Ottawa in the coming weeks.

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