Ben Stelter Fund gets huge boost from McDavid, Bissonnette donations

EDMONTON -- Ben Stelter's legacy and the fund created in his name continue to grow.

The charity, named after the Edmonton Oilers superfan who died last August at the age of 6, got a boost from the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation on Tuesday, along with donations from Oilers captain Connor McDavid and "NHL on TNT" analyst Paul Bissonnette.

The ball really starting rolling for Ben's parents, Mike and Lea Stelter, at the 2023 NHL Awards in Nashville on June 26.

Mike and Lea, along with their daughters, Dylan, 15, and Emmy, 5, came to the awards unbeknownst to McDavid and surprised him when they walked onstage to present him with the Hart Trophy for being voted the NHL most valuable player.

Prior to receiving the award, McDavid joined the TNT set for a segment when he brought up the Ben Stelter Fund in lighthearted banter with Bissonnette. The two agreed to donate $10,000 each if McDavid thanked his hot tub in the acceptance speech should he go on to win the Hart Trophy. After being surprised by the Stelter family onstage, McDavid quickly mentioned the hot tub, and the fund grew by $20,000.

Mike Stelter said McDavid and Bissonnette have already sent the money to the fund.

"It was so special, because I feel as though that's what Ben would have wanted," Lea said Tuesday, following an announcement by the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation that it had invested more than $17 million into community programs, including the Ben Stelter Fund. "I felt if Ben was there, he would have been the most excited that Connor was winning. And that Ben still got to be included in the awards, it was really special for our family. I think it was a surprise for everyone that we were there, and it happened to work out magically that they brought up the fund."

Following the Awards, McDavid said he was not sure if Bissonnette knew the Stelter family was in attendance when he brought up the hot tub, but the Ben Stelter Fund was the first thing that came to mind when charity was mentioned.

"It's funny how it worked out," McDavid said. "It almost seemed like it was scripted, but I promise you it wasn't. That was the one that comes to mind whenever someone mentions a charity. Keeping his memory and spirit alive is important, but also the work that Mike and the entire Stelter family is doing is also really important because there are a lot of families going through situations like that, that need help, and nobody understands what a family might need in that time quite like the Stelters do."

Ben Stelter died Aug. 8, 2022, of glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, after having multiple chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Ben had been introduced to the Oilers on March 24, 2022, lining up alongside McDavid for the national anthems as the "Scotiabank Skater" prior to a game against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Place. Following a 5-2 victory, Oilers forward Zach Hyman brought Ben into the postgame media conference and from there, he became a fixture with the club through the stretch drive of the regular season and into the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Oilers reached the Western Conference Final before being swept by the Colorado Avalanche that year.

"He meant a lot to our group and to me as well," McDavid said. "He was an amazing little guy and just to see his life and how much energy and excitement he brought to our group, even while going through something like that, it was amazing to see, and it definitely taught me a lot of lessons."

Following Ben's death, the Stelter family, with the support of the Oilers Community Foundation, set up the Ben Stelter Fund. Since its launch in December, it has raised more than $1 million to help children and families going through battles similar to Ben's.

"It's going unbelievable," Mike Stelter said. "The support from the community has been huge, just for everyone that rallied around Ben, they've rallied around this Fund to help kids like Ben. It's been amazing. Connor and 'Biz' [Bissonnette] both donating $10,000 each was super cool."

Mike Stelter said Bissonnette was not in on the secret that they were in attendance at the Bridgestone Arena to surprise McDavid.

"We were talking to 'Biz' and he had no idea we were there, either," he said. "It worked out perfect, just when they made the bet and when Connor said, 'I'll do it if you donate to the Ben Stelter Fund.' It was super special for our family and just knowing how many kids it was going to help, and when Connor said he would match it as well, it was super cool knowing that Benny is still close to his heart."

Mike and Lea announced Tuesday the Fund was working on four separate projects to help families in need. The fund is being used to create experiences for kids and their families, similar to what they and Ben experienced with the Oilers; help provide medical equipment, which is otherwise not covered by insurance; invest in research, which includes work on a liquid biopsy program, a less invasive way to diagnose and test brain tumors; and invest in venture philanthropy, providing assistance to unique startups and cancer treatments.

"The fund has exceeded our expectations," Lea Stelter said. "It really helps our hearts. It's almost been a year (since Ben's death) and Mike and I say we don't know what we would have done without this fund for the last year. We get to meet families who are going through what we went through and to be able to know that we're giving back and doing something positive for them, I think it's a huge help to our hearts, and we get to put ourselves in their shoes."