Leighton's Legacy: An Enduring Opportunity for Others

Lyndsey Fry's roller blade journey will span 96 miles and catalyze the Leighton Accardo Scholarship Fund for girls' hockey in Arizona.
Fry's journey, "
Skatin' For Leighton
," will have a start and a finish. But her goal is an everlasting effect.
Nine-year-old Leighton, honorary Coyotes teammate,
passed away November 24
from Stage Four cancer.
"The big thing here is, we want to find something special that really keeps Leighton's memory and legacy alive," said Fry, President of the Arizona Kachinas Girls' Hockey Association.

The goal is to raise $49,000, dedicated to Leighton's hockey No. 49. Four levels of donations have been established: $25, $49, $96, and $250.
Donors of $49 or higher
receive a t-shirt in Leighton's honor.
Leighton played in the Kachinas Association. She began her youth hockey career with the Arizona Hockey Union Knights. Fry, a Chandler native, also began her playing career in the Valley before winning an Olympic silver medal with Team USA.
"When we think about girls' hockey, the pool is a lot smaller," Fry said. "We want to continue to develop and build out the program and provide these girls a bigger opportunity to play. This isn't just to support the introductory level of the game, which I think a lot of these funds will go to. But there are also a lot of girls out there who can be playing at a higher level, but they just can't afford it. So, I hope we're able to provide those opportunities as well."

Fry remembers how the girls' hockey community rallied around Leighton during her fight, and grew extremely close to her, some girls even cutting their hair when Leighton began chemotherapy treatments.
"I think for the donations to all go back to a sport and a program that was so inspired by her, is incredible," Fry said.
The fund is not exclusive to players in the Kachinas Association, Fry added.
"This is for any girl in the state of Arizona, whether they choose to play for us or not. It's for anyone who needs that opportunity to be able to play."
Fry's route will begin at the Phoenix Children's Hospital, where Leighton underwent most of her cancer treatment. It will end at Gila River Arena. Fry's 96-mile skate is scheduled for January; a specific date will be announced upon release of the 2020-21 NHL schedule.
The former Olympian will stop at all seven Valley rinks along the way.

"Originally, I was just going to go from Mesa to Gila River Arena," Fry said. "That would have been a little shorter. But then I started thinking, 'What would it look like if I did every rink in the Valley?' And when I mapped it all out, it was right around 96 miles, and I was like 'Huh, well that's cool.'"
Indeed, No. 96 has hockey significance in the Valley. Nineteen ninety-six is the year the Coyotes played their first season in Phoenix. The team is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year.
After taking off from the Children's Hospital, Fry will make her first stop at AZ Ice Arcadia; head south to Ice Den Chandler; east to AZ Ice Gilbert; north to Coyotes Community Ice Center in Gilbert, Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe, Ice Den Scottsdale, then west to AZ Ice Peoria, before finishing at Gila River Arena.
!
The Coyotes Community Ice Center, the official home of the Arizona Kachinas Girls' Hockey Association, could become a key stop for her trip.
"We don't have it quite figured out yet, but I do think we want to do something special at Mile 49," Fry said. "We are going to try to do something special. That is right around the Coyotes Community Ice Center, and Leighton was such a big part of opening that for us, in so many ways. So, hopefully we're able to do that."
Due to liability, Fry will skate the 96-mile journey solo. However, she hopes to see others in roller blades at each rink.

The idea for the skate originated before Leighton's passing; Fry had hoped to rollerblade, pushing Leighton in a marathon stroller.
"Leighton was going to be a part of this event." Fry said. "I even asked her mother about it. I never in a million years, at the time, thought she wouldn't be here for it."
Fry noted the overwhelming outreach she received after announcing the most recent plans.
"Some people I haven't talked to in 15 years, like moms of kids I used to play with when I was younger, reaching out and saying, 'This is incredible, we want to know more, where can we donate?'
"I've got parents reaching out saying, 'Hey, my kid wants to skate with you, can they do a training skate with you?' Coach Tocchet wants to do a training skate with me. There are so many people wanting to find a way beyond donating to get involved with this."
"I kind of wondered, I kept going back and forth, 'Is this going to raise any money? Who cares if I'm skating? What's exciting about that?' And it's been really cool to be proven wrong. People are really, really intrigued by this and proud to see that we're doing something so unique for Leighton.
"It's going to be a special day, for sure."

Lead Photo Credit: Arizona Coyotes Production // Second Photo Credit: Lyndsey Fry - Arizona Coyotes // Third Photo Credit: Arizona Coyotes Production // Footer Photo Credit: Arizona Coyotes Production