The Humboldt Broncos Captain Who Broke His Back In The Team’s Tragic Bus Crash Has Earned A Spot On A College Hockey Roster

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Most professional athletes are lucky enough to be ferried from city to city in style while traveling over the course of a season, but in order to reach a point in your career where you have a private jet at your disposal, you typically have to deal with some markedly less luxurious methods of transportation first.

Anyone who played sports in high school knows there’s no better way to feel more miserable than you already did after getting your ass kicked than getting the chance to process the loss while staring out of the window of a school bus filled with silent occupants that seemingly hits every single pothole on the way back.

Sure, heading home with a victory under your belt can make these trips a tad more bearable but they’re still not a particularly enjoyable experience as far as comfort is concerned. However, it’s impossible to ignore the impact these long bus rides can have when it comes to fostering the camaraderie and chemistry a team needs to succeed.

Most of my favorite memories from my high school basketball days have to do with the various shenanigans that unfolded while riding on the bus with my teammates—which basically tells you all you need to know about our prowess on the court—and it sucks knowing I’ll probably never have another chance to experience the unique sense of joy that came with those bonding experiences.

I found myself reflecting on those moments a couple of years ago when they sprang to the forefront of my mind in the wake of the absolute tragedy that unfolded in Canada when a tractor-trailer crashed into the bus that was carrying the Humboldt Broncos to a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoff game, killing 16 people—including 10 players—and injuring 13 others.

The hockey world immediately rallied around the Broncos, as guys around the NHL paid tribute to their fellow players in a number of ways and a GoFundMe set up to benefit victims and their families ultimately raised over $15 million.

Some of the players injured in the crash faced a daunting road to recovery but resolved to return to action just like the Broncos did when they took to the ice for a new season the following September. That roster was largely filled with new names, but this year, Humboldt added a more familiar one to the lineup in the form of Graysen Cameron, who was able to overcome the broken back he suffered in the crash and return as the captain of the team.

Now, two years after suddenly finding his career in jeopardy, Cameron is getting the chance to take it to the next level, as SportsNet reports he’s heading to Wisconsin to play college hockey as a member of the Northland College Lumberjacks.

I’m not crying. You’re crying.