Oh, how quickly the tides of destiny may flip, and in the abrupt quiet that follows, we can hardly breathe. Now, as a town suffers from the devastating death of a young spirit whose light blazed well beyond the dazzling surface of the hockey rink, Chatham-Kent’s streets reverberate with a mournful tone.
On a typical Tuesday afternoon that seemed to be any other—until it wasn’t—Craig Spence, the exuberant captain of the beloved junior ice hockey team from the charming town carrying the same name, was brutally taken away by a horrific collision.
He was much than simply a player, as general manager Bob Price described him in his grief: “a great, great kid.” Usually the first to provide assistance, he mentors the younger ones and shapes them with his kind heart. Craig’s path, at the tender age of 21, was a shining example of leadership, his goals lofty but rooted in his passion for hockey.
“He was always eager to assist. He was our constant source of guidance for our little ones. A fantastic person and role model,” Price remembered, his voice a combination of pride and anguish.
Fatal crash closes eastbound lanes of #Hwy401 at Colonel Talbot Road. Emergency services on scene. Closure to last for approximately 4 to 6 hours. Updates will be provided when available. @CountyMiddlesex #MiddlesexOPP ^es https://t.co/BgGN6oSLhY
— OPP West Region (@OPP_WR) April 16, 2024
Just south of London, on the eastbound lanes of Highway 401, Craig’s life, a tapestry of relationships forged on and off the ice, came to an end. The horrible accident between Craig’s pickup and a cargo truck happened around 3:00 p.m., casting a shadow of ordinary disaster over the day. Craig Spence’s death was declared at the scene, leaving behind a devastatingly last sight.
Life on that section of highway came to a standstill for six hours as police scuttled through the debris, putting together the wordless cries of twisted metal. Price, meantime, got the call that rocked the calm of a typical day and embedded an agony so intense that it seemed as if the world should have come to an end.
The Blades are saddened by the passing of our Captain Craig Spence
An amazing hockey player, an even better teammate, brother and friend
Our thoughts and prayers are with Craig’s Family and all those who knew and loved him
Forever #10 Our Captain pic.twitter.com/qILjQNx0jX— Blenheim Blades (@BlenheimBlades) April 17, 2024
“I was inconsolable. Feeling the loss in every word, he said, “Craig was a vital part of our squad, and a tremendous part of the Blades family.
Conversations on Craig’s coaching career and his natural capacity for instruction and inspiration carried the echo of his goals. This Friday, at the team dinner, his enthusiasm was supposed to be rewarded with two prizes that were waiting for hands that would never pick them up. Since then, the event has been canceled because the bereaved community needs time to process the unfathomable.
Beside the Blades, the Spence family, and a community brought together in sorrow and memory, Legacy Lane sits silently. The internet has been a whirlwind of remembrances, with a GoFundMe page exploding with donations that testify to the influence Craig had and to a life that, although being cut short, was very meaningful.
An unanswered question hangs in the thick air as the inquiry proceeds without any charges being brought: How can we go on when such brilliant prospects are snuffed so suddenly?
Maybe there isn’t a definitive response; maybe all that remains is the heartbeat of everyone who knew, loved, and will remember Craig Spence—not only as a captain, but also as a powerful force at the center of a town that will never be the same.
