It seems a little strange, doesn’t it? The world seemed a little brighter and the ice a little less slippery just yesterday. Now we’re here, sad and full of memories because Thomas Innes died so suddenly. He was a truly amazing person. Thomas died last Saturday from a heart problem. He was only 33 years old. His death is connected to another recent tragedy: four days ago, another athlete, Craig Spence, died in a terrible accident.
In the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League, Thomas Innes was a star. For five amazing seasons, his name was linked to the Blades and the Kingsville Comets. Do you believe it? In his last year as a junior, 2011–12, he scored an amazing 74 points in just 39 games, making him the scoring leader. His leadership went beyond the scores; he was also an assistant captain. His smile, which was a symbol of his spirit, will always be remembered by those who were lucky enough to meet him.
What a touching Facebook post from Mitch Pickering, the former general manager of the Blades. He said, “Thomas was a pleasure to have on the Blades and was the type of player that made coming to the rink easier.” Isn’t that the kind of person you want in your life? Someone who makes each day a little easier or happier?
A crazy 197 points in 181 regular-season games show that he had a lot more in his life than just hockey. Thomas changed people’s lives outside of hockey too. John McKillop and Tyler Clarke, two of his old friends, remember him not only for how skilled he was, but also for how friendly and energetic he was.
We can see how important his life was through a GoFundMe effort as we remember his too short journey. It’s meant to help his family with their finances, since they are already going through a lot of hard times. When Thomas’s mom, dad, and brother are all facing cancer, it must be very hard for them. The goal of this fund is to give them a chance to grieve without having to worry about money.
His parents, Liz and John, his brother JJ, and his fiancée Jen Siemens are just a few of the loved people Thomas leaves behind. They, along with many other friends, cousins, and people in the community, can testify to the kind of life he lived and the lives he touched.
His viewing will be at Reaume Funeral Home Inc., and as a perfect honor to a life full of sports, his family wants people to wear sports clothes or outfits. That’s a small thing Thomas Innes did, but it shows how much he loves sports.
Instead of flowers, gifts can be made to the Terry Fox Foundation or other charities that were important to him. It’s a way to keep his memory alive and connect his past to our present.
How do we say goodbye to someone who always had more to give? How can we keep our heads up when we’ve lost so much? We might not yet. For now, we might just remember him, think about him, and love him a little more. It’s never easy to say goodbye, but Legacy Lane knows that it’s always full of love.
