A Beacon of Hope: Schaefer Shares Contract Signing with Kids Who Have Lost Loved Ones

The New York Islanders locker room was decorated for a special occasion on Monday.

Matthew Schaefer jerseys hung in every stall, along with Islanders pucks and hats. Instead of the usual Islanders nameplates, names of local kids were printed above each locker. Schaefer was there to meet with all of the kids and the connection between the first-overall pick and every invited family was already established - they have all endured the loss of a loved one.

Schaefer greeted every individual family and spoke to the group at large, making it a point to let them know that he was here for them.

“I want to let you know that if you have any questions, you can come up to me and ask me anything,” Schaefer told the children and parents in the packed locker room. “If you guys have stories, we could relate. If you guys love to play sports, tell me about your favorite kind of food, favorite subject in school. I’d love to hear.”

Schaefer lost his mother Jennifer at the age of 16, and he’s been an advocate for grief support ever since. Through the unique experience of losing a loved one at a young age, the children naturally felt connected to Schaefer. Take 11-year-old Colin Moon, an aspiring hockey player who uses the sport to help him cope with the loss of his father, an FDNY firefighter who passed away three years ago. Seeing Schaefer up close and personal was surreal to say the least.

“It was like looking into a mirror,” said Moon.

Several children were excited to gift him thoughtful tokens of their loved ones – tee shirts, bracelets, and symbols – for Schaefer to hold onto.

“So many people gave me things, whether it be something meaningful from their dads or their moms and family members,” Schaefer said. “To receive and wear those things, it’s awesome.”

Schaefer dealt with unimaginable grief in a short span during his first season of Canadian juniors. Prior to losing his mother to breast cancer in Feb. 2024, he suffered the loss his billet mom Emily to suicide in late 2023.

Schaefer was open and honest about his hard days, sharing that crying sometimes helps him grieve. His father, Todd Schaefer, has seen his son continue to transform pain into strength every single day, as his empathy inspires other families in the same situation.

“Matthew was in a rough spot, and to see him now, 18 months later he realized that through hard work, being a good person and chasing your dreams, it’s wonderful for him,” Todd Schaefer told the group. “So, if you’re wondering if your son or daughter will ever get there, trust me. They will.”

Todd Schaefer’s perspective inspired the parents in the room, offering hope that their children will preserve. Catherine Abear resonated with Todd’s message, thinking about how she can be just as strong for her children, Stella and Jackson, after they lost their father to COVID-19 in 2020.

“When I see Matthew’s father pushing forward, helping him build his career, it gives me the motivation to keep helping him fulfil his dreams,” Abear said. “Parents like him give me strength.”

Ladybugs remind Schaefer of his mom. Whether he was going through something good or bad, or needed a hug, he happened to see a ladybug and it served as a timely reminder that her love is always with him.

“My mom always told me to never kill ladybugs, always let them go because it’s good luck,” Schaefer said. “When she passed away, I’d see them everywhere. They’re all around the house, they land on me all the time.”

Abear was visibly choked up from the Schaefers’ ladybug story. She remembers noticing a cardinal in the family’s back porch one day and sending a picture to her husband, who said that cardinals are known to symbolize a loved one who has passed, coming back to say hello. After losing her husband, she sees the little red bird all the time – on her window, the back porch, on the road – spotting them when she needs it most.

“The day we came home from his funeral, a cardinal was sitting on top of one of his books,” Abear said. “Now, five years later and they still come. I see them all the time, especially when I’m thinking of him and need to see it.”

For a lot of families, cardinals represent a deceased loved one. When 16-year-old Isabella Tolley talked to Schaefer, she realized how much they have in common in terms of how they cope. She lost her father eight years ago, but the grief is still heavy.

“He has some similar ways to think about loved ones who have passed away,” said Tolley. “Just like the ladybugs for him, we see cardinals all the time.”

When Schaefer put pen to paper and signed his entry-level contract with the Islanders on Monday, he was not only supported by his father and his brother, but the parents and children he interacted with – and made an impact on – in a major step in his journey as an Islander.

“You obviously have more of a voice when you're an athlete and there's a lot more pathways that open up for you to go back and help to the community,” Schaefer said. “But I'm just like every other kid and every other kid here has lost someone.”

Fifteen-year-old Cole Lombardo had the honor walking up to Schaefer at the table and presenting him with his contract. His father Chris was a dedicated member of the Islanders family and he tragically lost his life the same way Schaefer lost his billet mom.

“It’s hard to find other people with the same story,” said Cole’s mother, Janine Lombardo. “It’s hard because the way my husband passed, there’s a stigma to suicide. This makes us feel good. We don’t feel alone.”

Schaefer’s professional hockey career is just getting started, but he’s already making a huge impact in the community, even forgoing his high school graduation to speak to kids at a grief center in Buffalo. The Islanders won the draft lottery on Cole’s 15^th birthday – May 5 – which came full circle when the first-overall pick has a similar personal story and struggles to his.

“It’s like a birthday gift from my dad,” Lombardo said.

Sharing the moment of signing his first contract surrounded by families who have been through similar circumstances meant a lot to Schaefer. It certainly set the stage for an incredibly meaningful career.

“Giving back is amazing, signing contracts is a dream come true,” Schaefer said. “It’s something I’ve dreamed of my whole life and it’s amazing to do things like this. I love how I was able to sign the contract and be surrounded by people who have been through similar things.”