"While my family and I looked forward to participating in the ceremonies in person, the rising number of COVID cases across the nation and the importance of ensuring our health has led us to make the difficult decision to participate virtually," O'Ree said.
"I want to thank the Bruins organization for their support and understanding, and I remain incredibly honored that they have chosen to retire my number. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the fans for their support throughout the years. I am excited to connect with everyone remotely, from my home in San Diego, on January 18."
The Bruins announced Thursday that they will host a scaled-back ceremony at TD Garden to honor O'Ree, who became the NHL's first Black player when he debuted with Boston against the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum on Jan. 18, 1958.
The ceremony will be held before Boston plays the Carolina Hurricanes, and will take place 64 years to the day O'Ree made his NHL debut.
O'Ree will become the 12th Bruins player to have his number retired, joining Eddie Shore (No. 2), Lionel Hitchman (No. 3), Bobby Orr (No. 4), Dit Clapper (No. 5), Phil Esposito (No. 7), Cam Neely (No. 8), Johnny Bucyk (No. 9), Milt Schmidt (No. 15), Rick Middleton (No. 16), Terry O'Reilly (No. 24) and Ray Bourque (No. 77).
O'Ree played 45 NHL games during two seasons (1957-58, 1960-61) with the Bruins despite being blind in his right eye, the result of a junior hockey injury sustained in 1955. He scored 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) during his NHL career.
He enjoyed a lengthy and productive minor league career, mostly in the former Western Hockey League with Los Angeles and San Diego, scoring 639 points (328 goals, 311 assists) in 785 WHL games before retiring as a player after the 1978-79 season.
The 86-year-old was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2018 in the Builders category largely for his off-ice accomplishments that helped cultivate a new generation of players and fans as the NHL's diversity ambassador.
O'Ree helped establish 39 grassroots hockey programs in North America as part of the Hockey Is For Everyone initiative and has inspired more than 120,000 boys and girls to play the sport.
O'Ree's life story on and off the ice is chronicled in "Willie," an award-winning documentary that was released in 2019.
