TECUMSEH, Ont. — On April 6, 2018, Tyler Smith and his Humboldt Broncos teammates were on their way to a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League game.
A game they would never play.
Smith was one of 13 survivors of a horrific crash that claimed the lives of 16.
Now 27, he was in Tecumseh on Oct. 7 to talk to students from the Hockey Skills Canada Academy at the Skilled Trades Academy and Learning Centre in the former St. Anne’s High School in Tecumseh.
Smith was the guest speaker at the event hosted by the Canadian Mental Health Association.
“I am a 27-year-old kid who’s been through a lot. I hope you get something out of this,” he said to an attentive audience.
Smith talked about his hockey and life experiences, including winning the Amazing Race Canada, but his message was clear – never give up and if you need help, especially with mental illness, reach out.
“I attributed mental health to weakness, a burden.” Smith shared.
He has no recollection of the accident, but he knows he suffered a broken collar bone, broken shoulder blade and ribs and suffered a stroke. Smith was in the hospital for 13 days and was visited by Connor McDavid, Don Cherry and the prime minister, to mention a few.
“It’s a day that impacted our lives. There are 13 of us still here. I have zero recollection,” said Smith.
It was at the National Hockey League annual awards ceremony, when he was up on stage in front of a TV audience of millions, that for the first time after the accident, he broke down and cried.
Smith returned to play for the Broncos, but it was short-lived and during a ceremony in Humboldt to honour his former teammates, he said he fell to his knees and wept.
“I made it back and it’s truly something I can be proud of. After 10 games, I got off the bus and told my parents I am not having fun anymore.”
His encouragement to people of all ages that he has spoken to, some 250 times, is clear. If you feel you are having mental health challenges, connect with someone, start the conversation and look at things through a fresh perspective.
“You never know who you are going to connect with, but you have to be open to it.”
Smith says he loves being with people and while he enjoys playing pickleball, slo-pitch and golf, he has no idea what the future holds for him.
“I have know idea what I want to do in this life, but I do know I want to keep doing this,” he said of talking about mental health.
