After father's passing, Hendrickson presses on

BLAINE -- There are few situations that call for a memorial service to be described as "fun."
But when asked about the ceremony honoring his deceased father, Larry Hendrickson, that took place Thursday, that's the first word out of Wild assistant coach Darby Hendrickson's mouth. That's how family, friends and the Minnesota hockey community say it should've been. That's how Larry would've wanted it.

And while the man associated primarily with hilarity, inclusivity and playing and coaching and promoting hockey will continue to be celebrated, this still hurts. The pain isn't a sole focus. But it's there. It's there for Darby, it's there for his brother Danny, their mother Jane Hendrickson, their sisters Christine Krsnik and Julie Oss, and Larry's 12 grandchildren.
"There's a lot of emotions," Darby said Saturday at the State of Hockey Sauce Toss Tournament at the National Sports Center, the proceeds of which will benefit the Hendrickson Foundation founded by Larry. "We had a wonderful dad who touched the lives of many, including our family, and it's hard to lose anybody, especially when your dad was that strong of a person in your life. It's still a process of grief, but there's also great joy in what he did and what he taught us.
"What an unbelievable person he was."
In his 75 years, Larry Hendrickson:
"What I've been impressed with is the people he surrounded himself with that have really taken it to another level," Darby said. "I think he is proud to see a lot of people benefit from the foundation]. He also, I think, was wise enough to really surround himself with really good people to help make it grow."
So the brothers will do their best to expand Larry's legacy. Darby continues to play an integral role directing forwards on coach Bruce Boudreau's staff and supporting his family's philanthropic efforts. Danny, his younger brother by two years, will take over the foundation, keep hash-tagging #hockeychangeslives and doing "everything we can to help people in hockey with disabilities. I know I can't do it alone, but he left an amazing team of people around me and the foundation, and I know that we will succeed and we will change lives."
In the meantime, they'll mourn. But they'll also keep celebrating. Like when the entire family got together for a pool party on Father's Day -- two days after Larry's long battle with heart complications came to a close. And Thursday's memorial service, which saw an estimated 900 people flock to Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, then migrate to the American Legion next to Richfield Ice Arena to share stories long into the night.
"It was fun, it was great," Darby said. "He would be incredibly touched by the amount of people that came out, and I know he's looking from above. I think he's in a better place than he was with his health at the end. I just know how proud he'd be of all the good things that have happened to his vision.
Said Danny: "It's been a crazy month, but he's smiling in heaven and we're smiling on this earth."
**Related:**
- [Sauce Toss tourney draws Wild legends to National Sports Center - Wild issues statement on passing of Larry Hendrickson - Growing disabled hockey a family affair for Hendricksons - Hockey Is For Everyone: Hendrickson Foundation