Torontonians honour Humboldt community with Jersey Day tribute

Factory workers, bus drivers and Mayor John Tory were among thousands of Torontonians who donned jerseys Thursday to show their support for the community of Humboldt, Saskatchewan.

It was last Friday evening when a bus carrying the Humboldt junior A Broncos hockey team collided with a truck in rural Saskatchewan, killing 16 players and staff.

• WATCH: Boy's heart-rending tribute to Humboldt Broncos

The tragedy has resonated deeply with Canadians.  A record amount of money has been raised for those affected. And as a tribute, countless households and businesses placed hockey sticks outside their front doors.

Now the Jerseys for Humboldt campaign is another way for Canadians to show their support for a reeling Saskatchewan community.

The idea actually started thousands of kilometres away from the accident, in Langley, B.C.

"This tragedy is so unfathomably huge that no one person can do anything but as a group we wanted to contribute something," said Jennifer Pinch, one of the organizers of this campaign.

"I think everyone just wants to give something. It's the least we can do. I wish I could take their pain and put it on my shoulders for a day for them."

The idea started off small.

"It started off as let's take a picture of our sons in their jerseys and send it to the moms in Saskatchewan to let them know we were thinking of them and that would be it," explained Pinch.

"And then it was why don't we get Langley minor hockey involved. Then why not schools across B.C. Then the Facebook page went up and it really just took off."

It certainly did. Under the Twitter hashtag #jerseysforhumboldt, there are thousands of pictures of people wearing jerseys, posted from across the country.

"Just something to let that team know they are not alone. People are behind them because anybody could have been that team, God forbid, in the future."

Popular idea

The idea was certainly popular in Canada's biggest city, especially in Toronto schools, where thousands of students wore jerseys for Humboldt.

At Hillcrest Community School in midtown Toronto, a wide array of jerseys and colours were on display.

Many, like Grade 6 student Logan Kennedy decided to wear something special.

"I am wearing my Mississauga Reps jersey. I think it shows them more support than wearing a regular jersey," he said.

Kennedy, who plays competitive hockey, said he's been thinking a lot about what happened in Humboldt.

"I thought it was so sad what happened in Humboldt and eye-opening too. Just how you could be going somewhere and feeling so happy and then things vanish just like that and you can have nothing."

Kennedy's classmate Sabine Therrien wore her Hillcrest softball jersey.

"I hope to send the message that even though they are not with us anymore that they will live and everyone is thinking of them."

There were plenty of Leaf jerseys, of course, including on worn by Suleimaan Omar.

"I was really sad because hockey is my favourite sport and lots of people I know play. They were doing something they really liked and then an accident happened."

Their teacher, Ahren Sternberg, who coaches many of the school's teams, said this accident has struck a chord among his students.

"Anyone here could have been on that bus. These guys play sports they travel, it could be anyone and that thought alone is something that really hit home," said Sternberg. "And if wearing jerseys gets us thinking and talking about it, it's not a bad thing."

Pinch said it's likely the families and community in Humboldt are looking inward right now, dealing with a tragedy that is still very raw.

"They may not notice this for a month or even a year, but they will know that in their dark, dark time, there was a worldwide community supporting them and it will be nice to know that they weren`t alone as they probably feel right now."