Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars salute 7-year-old girl with cancer
CBC News | Posted: February 25, 2015 5:51 PM | Last Updated: February 26, 2015
Neepawa girl with sign saying "Chemo by day, Jets by night" cheered at MTS Centre.
A 7-year-old girl going through her sixth round of chemotherapy got the thrill of a lifetime last night thanks to the Winnipeg Jets.
Alyx Delaloye lives in Neepawa and was diagnosed with leukemia in July.
She and her family were guests of the team at MTS centre.
At one point, she was on the Jumbotron with her poster that said "Chemo by day, Jets by night".
Her mother, Jody Delaloye said as soon as her daughter heard they got tickets to the game she started drawing signs to take with them, including the one she held up with orange leukemia support ribbons.
She said Alyx had big dreams of being on the Jumbotron.
"Because she sees all these kids and she goes, 'Mom, I wished I could be on.'"
But that's not all.
The team saluted her by banging their sticks on the ice and the crowd gave her a standing ovation.
"We were watching the Jumbotron and waving to the cameras and stuff, so we didn't know, like apparently she got a standing ovation and then the teams were banging their sticks on the ice and on the boards and we missed it all because we were watching the Jumbotron. So we had no idea," Delaloye said.
It wasn't until they were on the two-hour drive home, when her husband Reg checked his Facebook page that he discovered their picture had more than 4,000 hits, and they saw the team banging their sticks and everyone standing an applauding her.
"She's like, 'What? That was for me Mommy?' And her face was like, she was lit right up. Just a huge smile the whole way," Delaloye said.
Delaloye said she is grateful to the Jets' organization because it was the first time they've been able to go to a game as a family.
Since her diagnosis, Alyx has been travelling to and from Winnipeg for chemotherapy treatment.
Social media explodes with support for girl
On social media people have been posting messages of support.
Even Winnipeg Jet Jim Slater tweeted to find out the girl's name. He said she's inspiring.
"What she's had to go through, I don't even want to imagine," said Slater, who has a young daughter of his own. "If we can make her day a little better, a little brighter, that's a huge thing us athletes can do. To be a part of that and help, it's a special thing."
Slater said he hoped to meet Alyx in person and bring the family back for another game.
"Hopefully, maybe get her to another game here with her and her family," he said. "And get her down to meet some of the guys, 'cause you know, those are the real heroes and battlers and when you see that, it just brings a smile to your face, for sure."
Alyx's family said she still has a long road of treatment ahead of her.
For now though, what she has to say about it all is, "Amazing."
"Did you know they were cheering for you?" her mother asked her. Alyx shook her head 'No.'
"So when you found out what did you think?," her mom said. Again, her reply was "Amazing."