As top defense prospect Matthew Schaefer prepares to walk across the stage at the NHL Draft this week at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, he knows he won`t be alone.
Schaefer is certain his late mother, Jennifer, will be with him in spirit. This significant moment for the 17-year-old Erie Otters player will also be a celebration of the woman who supported him every step of the way, even after she passed away from cancer approximately 16 months ago.
“I love talking about my mom because I focus on the happy memories, not the sad ones,” Schaefer shared.
He recalled moments like his mother dressing up in goalie equipment to face shots from him and his older brother. Even when sick, she would find the energy to play mini-sticks with them in the family basement.
“She’s always with me in spirit. I know she has the best view of every game,” Schaefer added. “I just want to carry on her legacy, her character, and be the person she was.”
His mother`s composure and strength have significantly shaped Schaefer’s positive perspective, helping him navigate other losses and challenges he has faced.
Around two months before his mother`s death, the mother of his billet family tragically died after being struck by a train, ruled a suicide. Then, in December, while Schaefer was representing Canada at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa, Jim Waters, the owner of the Otters and a mentor to Schaefer, died from a heart attack. Compounding these difficulties, Schaefer broke his collarbone during the tournament, forcing him to miss the final three months of the season.
Through all these trials, Schaefer is determined not to let pain and tragedy define him.
“My outlook on everything has shifted considerably. Seeing what my mom endured, maintaining a smile even as cancer tried to defeat her, but she never allowed it,” he said. “She is the strongest person I have ever known.”
