Brendan Smith sparks unity and community in honouring his late grandparents

All photos courtesy of Brendan Smith

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Not a day or game goes by where Brendan Smith doesn’t take a moment to remember how his late grandparents helped him reach his NHL dream.

In his 14th NHL season and first with the Dallas Stars, Smith has a wealth of fond recollections – both inside and outside of hockey arenas – of his grandmother, Joyce Smith, and grandfather, Lester Smith Sr.

“What my grandparents did, not only for me, but for my brother [New York Rangers forward] Reilly and our older brother, Rory, is that I don’t get to where I am today without them.”

Smith was 15 when his grandmother succumbed to breast cancer on Dec. 27, 2004. Eleven years later, on Sept. 27, 2015, his grandfather passed away from the same disease.

“They were more than grandparents to us. When they each went through their cancer fight, it was a tough moment for all of us.

“Those were tough times, and I think that is why we understand the importance of giving back and helping others.”

That is what the 27th overall pick of the 2007 NHL Draft, along with his fellow NHLPA members, will be doing plenty year-long through Hockey Fights Cancer powered by the V Foundation presented by AstraZeneca.

Founded in 1998 by the NHLPA and NHL, the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative has raised millions since its inception, helping raise awareness and supporting those affected by cancer by uniting the hockey community, caregivers, patients, survivors and fans.

Each season, every NHL team hosts their own Hockey Fights Cancer night to fundraise and celebrate those impacted by cancer in their local community.

“Trying to give back and creating awareness about breast cancer and cancer, in general, is a big part of my life and my family’s life,” said the Ontario-born defenceman, who started his NHL career in 2011-12 with the Detroit Red Wings.                                                                                                     

“There are so many great ways I am able to honour them.”

Participating in Kancer Jam events is one way in which he does that.

This past January, Smith and his then-teammates with the New Jersey Devils raised over $100,000 for the Jam Kancer in the Kan Foundation, which assists families impacted by a cancer diagnosis.

“Being able to do the Kancer Jam last year was one of the greatest moments, not only of my playing career, but of my entire life,” recalled Smith.

“It was a very touching experience.”

The event brought back a flood of memories for Smith, including from his minor hockey days.

Hockey road trips back then were the epitome of a team effort between his grandparents.

“I would say grandma was the cook and she always made sure we were eating everything. With three boys, and my parents working, it was hard to get groceries, but grandma always made sure our stomachs were full.

“She was the best cook. She used to do everything. She would sneak in some milkshakes too – she was the best.”

Smith has equally high praise for his grandfather.

“The amount of hours that my grandfather put in driving us and watching our games – it was literally like having another parent. Grandma was all nutrition and grandpa was the taxi driver.”

“Between them both, being able to support us when we were young, and inspiring us as we got older, is something we will never take for granted.

“If we were sick at school, grandma and grandpa would come pick us up and take care of us because our parents were working. I guess we took it for granted a little bit when we were younger because that is all we knew.”

Over the years, Smith has come to appreciate all the sacrifices his grandparents made for himself and his brothers.

His grandfather was also the perfect PR person when he and his brothers returned home from a game.

“My grandfather was funny. He was almost like a big kid to us. He was so lighthearted. Just thinking about him now – he was such a supporter of all of us.

“We would come home – grandpa would bring us back after the game – and my dad would ask, ‘How did he do?’ My grandfather would say, ‘I think he had four goals’ or ‘He had the puck the whole game.’ I might have scored one goal and had the puck a decent amount of time, but he always added some extra things to what we did.”

Smith has never forgotten those moments or the countless others he spent with his grandparents.

He is grateful not only to be in the position to help raise awareness and funds for cancer research, but also to spend time sharing stories with others who are affected by cancer.

The veteran blueliner sees those moments as both connective and healing.

“When I speak with other people who have close family members dealing with cancer … the stories bring us together. Everybody, it seems, has been affected by cancer in some way, shape or form.

“The best part of everything is the people who have talked to me. It helps me want to give back more. The season can be grueling and there are a lot of ups and downs, but knowing how people feel and how much they are impacted by this disease – that gives me energy to continue to help and push forward. And that is what we need to do.”

“I feel like the stories, the ones we share of our loved ones, those who have passed or are going through a cancer battle, it sparks unity and a community, where we are all fighting for the same thing together. It helps tremendously to share your stories. It creates this amazing bond with people.”

Something that Smith has been privy to throughout his NHL career.

He is deeply grateful for all those interactions.  

“When I am in public, whether it is Kancer Jam or something else – people say to me, ‘Thank you for your time.’ But I’m the one who is grateful. I truly am. I thank everyone I meet for sharing their story because I know how that feels for me.

“I’m actually getting a little emotional thinking about it. I can say it does mean a lot to me.”

Yet another reason, among many, why memories of his grandparents are never far from Smith’s thoughts.

“Nothing I will ever do will live up to what they did for us, but whatever I can do makes me happy.”