It’s been just over three weeks since a gunman open fired on a musical festival in Las Vegas, but the event is still fresh in a lot of people’s minds.
One person in particular who is reminded of the horrific night on a daily basis is longtime Las Vegas resident and Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Deryk Engelland. Although the 35-year-old was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, the city of Las Vegas became his home over 10 years ago when he made his professional debut with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL.
On Tuesday, the former sixth round draft selection shared his story about how Las Vegas became his home, where he was the night of the shooting and how he found out, and how the team has done everything they can for the city of Las Vegas since that night through a post on The Players’ Tribune.
Engelland shares the stories about the night he met his future wife and the first impression he made on her while he was playing for the Wranglers, and then talks about how despite playing for a bunch of different teams over his career, Las Vegas has always been the place they return to in the offseason.
Like most people in North America, Engelland was asleep when the shootings took place, but woke up to the sound of an emergency call from one of his wife’s best friends. From that moment on, both Deryk and his wife, Melissa, sent out numerous texts to all their loved ones if they were O.K. and if they were down at the concert.
Like Engelland, the rest of the Golden Knights wasted no time and knew they needed to step up to help the city during the tough time.
The feeling of togetherness in this city over the past three weeks has been unbelievable.
It would be completely foolish to say that sports can help people recover from a tragedy like this one. We know that it’s just hockey. We know that it’s just a game. But our team came together in the days after the shooting, and there was a real sense of purpose in our locker room. We just kept saying, “Hey, maybe we can go out and make this city proud, and maybe take people’s minds off things for just a few hours.”
After the Golden Knights picked up their first win in their first NHL game, Engelland got a special text message from one of his friends who works for the Las Vegas fire Department and the message got the entire team pumped up.
We started the season on the road in Dallas just five days after the shooting. It was extremely tough, because everybody wanted to be back in Vegas doing whatever we could to help. We wanted to get that win so bad. And after we pulled it out 2–1, I stood up on the team bus on the way back to the hotel and read a text message from a friend of mine at the Las Vegas Fire Department.
He said, “Man, you wouldn’t believe the spirits you’re lifting here at the fire department. We were all watching. Keep it going.”
Everybody on the bus had goose bumps. I mean, guys were standing up and cheering. I’ve never seen anything like that energy. It felt like, in some very small way, we could give people something to feel good about.
Since the Golden Knights opened their season on the road, the team needed to wait a few days to play their first game in front of their home crowd and they did not let them down. Before the game, Engelland made his way to centre ice and said a speech that gave everyone in attendance and watching at home goosebumps.
In the locker room, I was a mess. I’ve never been so nervous. But when I skated out there, I saw the faces of all the first responders — men, women, younger people, older people, doctors, nurses, firefighters, engineers, police officers — my nerves went away.
All these people had run toward the danger. I just tried to forget where I was for a second and speak directly to them. They are true heroes. They are the people who make Las Vegas such a special place, and a place I proudly call my home.
Our team will continue to do everything we can to help those who were affected by this senseless tragedy.
We are not just strong. We are Vegas Strong.
The Vegas Golden Knights continue to rally for the city of Las Vegas as they’ve started their inaugural season 6-1-0 and they don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon, especially while they continue to play for the city.
(H/T The Players’ Tribune)
