Special Guest at Tonight’s Game !!

Garrett Riley – Paralympian – Silver Medalist Beijing 2022

We are thrilled and extremely proud to introduce our special guest tonight.
Garrett Riley, born in Brantford and now residing in Woodstock, was always a hockey player. From a very young age, Garrett made hockey his passion and played a competitive game.
At the young age of 15, Garrett was diagnosed with osteosarcoma – the same cancer as Terry Fox. He had a tumour on his left knee and three large black spots on his lungs. Initially, doctors were able to save his leg in a 2011 knee replacement surgery, which left him cancer-free, but complications followed and in 2017, an infection set in and his left leg was amputated.
Garrett turned to ParaHockey shortly after his amputation and struggled through complications and pain following his amputation to the point that only a year into the sport, had to step away and take time off. At this point, he thought his career in hockey had come to an end. After several surgeries and 2 years off, Garrett reinserted himself into the sport in time for Canada’s National Para Hockey Team selection camp in 2021, where he made the roster. Team practices were going as planned until the team took a road trip to St. Louis to play the US Paralympic team. Just 4 months prior to Beijing, Garrett broke both bones in the calf of his only leg.
Just 2 weeks after his injury, Garrett was back in the gym and 2 months from the day of his injury, he was back on the ice, preparing for Beijing. Garrett went to Beijing and brought home the Canadian Silver Medal.
What an incredible story, such an amazing athlete and an inspiration for us all. We couldn’t be more proud to have Garrett here with us tonight.
Please join the Vets in congratulating Garrett Riley on his amazing journey and his Olympic silver medal.