Screen capture via UC Bearcat Hockey/Twitter
The tragic bus crash in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, that left 15 dead and many more injured has brought a reeling country together.In one of the the many touching tributes that has poured in since the fatal collision Friday, Canadians from coast to coast and beyond have been leaving hockey sticks on their porches to honour and pay respect to the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team and those who were injured in the crash. The tribute started a #PutYourStickOut hashtag campaign, which gained traction Sunday night after a tweet from TSN broadcaster Brian Munz.
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People from across Canada, the United States, and other parts of the world, replied to Munz's tweet with pictures of their own sticks left outside their homes in what was a fitting and touching gesture during this difficult time.
The ages of the deceased range from 16 to 59, including 10 players, two coaches, a team statistician, the team's radio play-by-play announcer, and the driver of the bus. Another 14 are said to be injured, some critically, with one 18-year-old paralyzed from the chest down.The hockey stick tribute is one of the many acts of kindness that has taken place since the unimaginable catastrophe rocked the small town in western Canada. The sports world reacted with touching tributes Saturday—with NHL teams holding moments of silence and wearing Humboldt Broncos decals on their helmets—while broadcasters such as CBC delivered powerful coverage over the course of the weekend.
On Sunday night, a televised vigil was held at the Broncos' team arena, where the fallen were honoured and remembered by members of the community. The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team was supposed to play Game 6 of their semifinal playoff series that night.A GoFundMe campaign was launched shortly after the crash and has already reached over $5.5 million in donations as of Monday afternoon. You can donate here.