Thread by @MuhammadLila

A while ago, I posted a story about how random strangers came together to help a little Syrian boy, in a small Canadian town, who dreamt of playing hockey.

Guess what?

It just got better. Here's a Thread - with a heart-warming twist.

(via @Goodable)

First, a recap:  This is Yamen.  He’s 8.

Yamen wanted to play hockey just like his friends, but he didn’t have any equipment.

When a local hockey dad named Michael (@CJPDoyle) found out, he went online and asked if anyone could help.

He had no idea what was about to happen.

The next day, people started leaving equipment at his house. Bags, sticks, you name it.

Soon, strangers started sending money.

Within days, random Canadians had sent enough for Michael to get brand new hockey equipment for Yamen – all for kid they’d never even met.

The story of random kindness spread,
thanks to boosts from awesome people like @RedHourBen, @VancityReynolds, @tvnatasha, even the @NHL.

But there was something nobody knew yet.

It was about to get even better.

It turned out that people had literally sent so much that Michael that he wound up with more than he needed.

Problem, right?
Nope.

Meet Areej and Anas.

Just like Yamen, they had fled the Syrian war and were welcomed with their parents to Canada with open arms.

When Michael found out there were other Syrian kids in his hometown who had never played hockey before, he immediately knew what to do.

Off to the hockey store...

…and voila!

New skates, jerseys, helmets, you name it – looking like mini McDavid and Wickenheiser - all thanks to the kindness of strangers.

It's hard to tell who’s happier – the kids, or the staff who provided the equipment at cost.

And speaking of happiness…

This is the first thing Areej did after putting on her skates.

Cute, right?

Having covered so many wars and refugees, I can tell you, you have no idea what it means for a child to be this carefree.

You only do this when you’re safe and surrounded by people who care

❤️

And so, what started out as a small gesture to help a single boy turned into something bigger.  Instead of one child, it was now three – including a young girl.

It was a collective, Canadian way of saying that just because you’re not from here, doesn’t mean you don’t belong.

This weekend, all three kids – Yamen, Areej, and Anas – hit the ice for the first time in their new gear.

Michael was there to instruct them.

That’s Yamen in red, Anas in black, and Areej in blue.

🏒🥅

They had a blast.

Zoom in – and you’ll see Areej beaming ear-to-ear underneath her new helmet.

It's the kind of smile every child deserves.

Her and Anas' parents, plus Yamen’s mom, were watching from the stands. Michael says she couldn't stop smiling.

When Yamen skated past his her, he did this.

It’s easy to imagine him celebrating a game-winning goal, or maybe he’s just saying thanks.

It’s still pretty awesome.

None of this is to say Canada is perfect.  Neither is hockey culture.  But when people come together to do good, that goodness tends to spread.

Today, thanks to the goodness of complete strangers, there are three Syrian kids in a small Canadian town playing a game they love.

Last note:

Michael says when their skating lesson was done, the kids were having so much fun they didn’t want to leave.  They were the first ones on the ice, and the last ones to come off.

Can’t think of a better ending than that.

🇨🇦

[End]