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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn the fall of 2022, Will and Luke were matched with the University of Connecticut (UConn) men\u2019s hockey team and quickly shared their positive experience with their friend Bryce, who was matched with the Holy Cross men\u2019s hockey team the following year. \u201cThe DiStefano family were the ones who told me to get my boys involved with Team IMPACT,\u201d Julie shared. Soon enough, Bryce and his brother Brodie had a team of their own, just like Will and Luke\u2019s, who also share their Team IMPACT experience with their older brother, Jack. \u201cBryce was still in isolation when I made the first call. Once we were matched with Holy Cross Hockey, the kids were over the moon. Right away, we felt like the boys were part of the team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both families have had their own unique and life-changing journeys with their teams. Will, Luke, and Jack love playing flag football, celebrating birthdays, and just being part of the team with their Huskies. Some of Bryce and Brodie\u2019s favorite moments with the Crusaders include team dinners, carving pumpkins, knee hockey games, and seeing their teammates cheer them on from the sideline at their own sporting events, just as they do at Holy Cross hockey games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are many parts of our boys\u2019 lives that they hear they can\u2019t. They can\u2019t swim in fresh water, they can\u2019t go to a variety of events or school because of treatment or they\u2019re not feeling well, they can\u2019t go to their state championship tournament because they\u2019re in the hospital. Team IMPACT gives them a chance to \u2018can,\u2019<\/strong>\u201d Lindsay shared. \u201cKids their age often cannot understand at all what the boys are dealing with, but the hockey team gets it.<\/strong> They understand how the boys may not feel well but still want to play and compete and have fun. We can tell the hockey team is a safe place for them, where they are willing to try new things and be themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lintons have noticed similar grown in Brodie and Bryce, who have gained confidence and come out of their shells around their teammates. \u201cThe encouragement, acknowledgement and support from the players has truly been shown in the boys being more confident and more mature,<\/strong>\u201d Julie said. \u201cThe players don’t let Bryce get away with his behavior, they expect more from him and he responds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recently, the DiStefanos and Lintons got together for another opportunity they wanted to experience together: the UConn vs Holy Cross men\u2019s hockey series. Luke, Will, and Jack traveled to Hart Center Rink in Worcester to join Bryce and Brodie at their home arena for the Friday game of the series. The following day, Bryce and Brodie made the trip to the Huskies\u2019 Toscano Family Ice Forum, the DiStefano brothers’ home ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Team IMPACT provided both families with not only an extended network of support in their teams, but also with an experience outside the medical world. \u201cGetting to spend time with the DiStefano brothers was one of our favorite moments,\u201d Julie said, reflecting back on that exciting weekend. \u201cWe were able to learn about what they get to do with their team, who their favorite players are, and just be kids cheering on their favorite teams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe game didn\u2019t go as planned for UConn, but we all found ourselves happy for the Lintons and the Holy Cross team,\u201d Lindsay shared. \u201cThe boys saw several of the Holy Cross and UConn players talk to each other after the game and realized that they, too, knew the \u2018opponent\u2019 and were able to be friends again after the game was over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked how their boys have changed since joining Team IMPACT, both moms had the same response: smiles. \u201cMore smiles,\u201d Julie said. \u201cOn hard days\u2014whether it\u2019s a long day of appointments, labs, treatments\u2014we remind the boys of the next time they get to be with the hockey team.<\/strong> This greatly helps them stay positive and look forward instead of wallowing in the present.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe kids are always smiling and laughing when the players are around<\/strong>,\u201d Julie shared of Bryce and Brodie\u2019s time with the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The DiStefano and Linton families serve as an example of the warmth and friendship that come from team\u2014on and off the ice. We look forward to another season of competition, fun, and most importantly, smiles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For many parents of kids living with serious illness and disability, the future is full of questions and uncertainty. But that future is also full of incredible support and beautiful friendships that help guide through the unknown. Lindsay DiStefano and Julie Creedon-Linton first met a few years ago in a social media group for families […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":4048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[33,25,17],"tags":[],"mens-teams":[],"class_list":["post-4047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-match-stories","category-perspective","category-success-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n