“He’s always there to give you a little kick in the butt or just to tell you you played great. He’s been a role model to me and to my brother, and everything that we embody as grown men, it’s come from him. He’s always taught us to never give up and to never not try your hardest, and he’s doing that right now with his battle. I just love him so much.”
Raddysh’s visit to see his father will come days after the Lightning hosted their annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Benchmark International Arena on Monday.
Seeing the cancer patients, survivors, as well as the loved ones of those who fought cancer take to the ice on Monday resonated deeply with Raddysh.
“I know we’re going through it, but there’s also millions of other people going through the same thing. There’s people that have fought it off, and there’s people that haven’t. Just to see the support that everyone has for those battling, it’s nice to know that there’s so many people in their corner,” he said.
“Because I know, especially even for my family, it’s been hard this last summer and these last couple months. So just to see the support, I know how much it means to a lot of people. It’s pretty special.”
Darren this week credited his Lightning teammates, particularly captain Victor Hedman, for being part of his family’s support system and helping him plan the visit with his father.
“He’s always asking how I’m doing, he’s always on my side,” he said of Hedman. “And he’s told me many times, ‘Don’t worry about whatever happens in here. Just make sure if you need to go home, you need to go. If you can’t do it today, or whatever it may be, just make sure you get yourself right, and the team will come second.’ He’s been really helpful with that. I talk to him as much as I can, and he’s just a voice of reason when things aren’t going too well.”
‘The best hockey dad’
“I would say we’re the typical hockey family that isn’t really emotional or sentimental. We’re pretty straightforward. If you play bad, my dad will let you know. Or if you play great it’s, ‘You played great.’ He’s gonna tell you the truth straight to your face.
