The Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award presented by Discover is given to an individual who, through hockey, has positively impacted his or her community culture or society. The award honors O'Ree, the former NHL forward who became the first Black player to play in the NHL on Jan. 18, 1958, and has spent more than two decades as the NHL's diversity ambassador. After a public voting period and votes from O’Ree, NHL executives and Discover executives, the winner will be announced in June. There will be a winner from the United States and one from Canada. Today, a look at one of three U.S. finalists, Jerry DeVaul.
Jerry DeVaul was president of the Warrior Avalanche, a hockey team made up of Paralympians and wounded veterans, when he helped former Colorado Avalanche players Jan Hejda and Milan Hejduk put on a sled hockey clinic for disabled children in 2017.
“They pushed the kids around in sleds that had only use of one hand or whatever,” said DeVaul, who had been a player with Colorado Sled Hockey Association for about a year at that point.
“One of the parents was like, ‘My kid hasn’t smiled in over 10 years.’ When I heard that, I was like, ‘Wow, that is unbelievable.’ Because every kid should be able to smile in life. It shouldn’t take an event like this, but if we can offer an event like this to kids with disabilities, that’s even better.”
DeVaul said the event made him “super passionate” about trying to help out Colorado Sled Hockey more. Now president of the association since 2022, DeVaul’s continued work in introducing sled hockey to disabled children and adults in Colorado Springs, Colorado, DeVaul is a first-time finalist for the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award.
“It’s a huge opportunity because it speaks about the community, I’ve been able to help and that’s been one of my goals, is to try and help inspire others that are in similar situations as myself,” DeVaul said. “It’s remarkable because the past winners and recipients, the amount of work they’ve put in, it’s a huge accomplishment. I don’t have words for how thankful I am.”