Gibson, Red Wings help 4-year-old’s Make-A-Wish dream come true on Saturday afternoon

DETROIT -- Helping a young cancer survivor live out a dream through a heartfelt partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Trinity Health, the Detroit Red Wings hosted 4-year-old Merrick Bolthouse at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center for an unforgettable afternoon on Saturday.

Bolthouse, a native of Kingstown, Ontario, first watched the Red Wings go through practice, keeping a close eye on his favorite player, goalie John Gibson. Once practiced concluded, Bolthouse then joined Gibson and the rest of the team on the ice in full goalie gear – thanks to Warrior Hockey -- and went to the crease, where he turned aside shots from the players.

“You could tell how much it meant to him, his family and his sister,” Gibson said. “They’re very appreciative. Anytime you see him being able to smile and have fun out there -- it was a good day.”

Having Bolthouse tag along throughout the day was especially meaningful to Gibson.

“I have kids around the same age as him too, so it definitely hits home,” Gibson said. “You feel grateful for what you have…He’s just being a kid, happy to be here and kind of take his mind off whatever they have going on. It’s nice to help and be a small part of his day.”

Like Gibson, fellow netminder Cam Talbot said seeing Bolthouse between the pipes was a heartwarming moment.

“You realize that hockey is just a game and things are so much larger than life,” Talbot said. “To have him out there really puts things into perspective. For guys like me and Gibby that have young kids, I can’t imagine going through that as a family. So, anytime you can have a kid like that out there, put a smile on his face and give him some joy through a tough time like that, you know it’s the same feeling for his parents.”

Detroit head coach Todd McLellan also talked about Bolthouse, emphasizing how the young source of inspiration “at least deserves a contract” after watching “some of the saves he made on key guys.”

“It’s pretty uplifting for Merrick in this case, but also for us,” McLellan said. “It does something for the spirit a little bit and makes you feel good. You reflect on your own situation, whether it’s family immediately or down the road or little ones or whatever it might be, and how fortunate we are. It also makes you think about, ‘Can we do more to help?’ We get so wrapped up in wins, losses, slumps, who’s playing well, who isn’t -- there’s probably more time for the real world, and we should try to find it.”

To learn more about how to support Make-A-Wish Foundation, click here. And for more information about how the Detroit Red Wings Foundation makes a positive difference in the community, go here.