The New York Rangers opened their 2018-19 season as their first without Amirante since 1980. The longtime singer who performed the national anthem before games at Madison Square Garden died on April 17 at the age of 83.
The Rangers paid tribute to him by playing a recorded version of one of his thousands of incredible performances before their season opener against the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.
Amirante's family was asked out to the ice to stand near the mic stand he occupied for nearly 40 years as his final Garden performance commenced.
Amirante's wife, Annie, took the ice alongside the couple's three children and one grandchild to an ovation from the crowd.
The special tribute to What the Rangers called "a dear friend and member of the Garden family."
The final performance was enough to move Annie Amirante and her family members to tears.
