There’s been an outpouring of support for Kamloops Blazers forward Kyrell Sopotyk and his family, after the 19-year-old was injured in a snowboarding accident at Table Mountain near North Battleford, Sask. over the weekend.
“I’ve spoken to Kyrell’s parent’s Lori and Bobby over the weekend and have spoken through text with Kyrell,” Blazers General Manager Matt Bardsley told NL Sports.
“It’s tough when you get news about someone you care about and is a really popular guy in the locker room and in his peer group. To have someone going through a difficult time, it’s really tough.”
Blazers President Don Moores says the team will support the Sopotyk family however it can.
“Whatever happens we are going to be there for the Sopotyk family and I know Blazer Nation will be there as well,” Moores said, though the team will not release updates on Sopotyk’s medical status or prognosis.
“We’ve been very respectful of the Sopotyk family. Any news should come from them,” Moores added. “We are thinking of them and wanting to do anything we can to help. Hopefully there’s a positive outcome to this.”
Reports are the Sopotyk was paralyzed after his accident but that has not been publicly confirmed by the family. His billet mother in Kamloops, Tricia Mercuri, has been hit hard with the news.
“I’m utterly heartbroken for him and his family. They are such nice people who would do anything for you. I think the word humble has been used. It’s just a really hard time,” she told NL Sports.
“Kyrell was such a quiet guy when he first stayed with us but he really has come out of his shell the last year and has an amazing sense of humour. He was always trying to trick my husband Johnny with his stories and he would always get him.”
A GoFundMe page started by Kathleen Zary, the mother of Blazers forward Connor Zary, continues to grow and was up to $111,000 as of 4:30 p.m. this afternoon.
“I’ll be in communication with the Sopotyk family [about the dollar amount] but I don’t think anything that’s going to happen moving forward will be cheap,” Kathleen Zary said. “If we can get people to donate even small amounts it will help them out all that more.”
Sopotyk was heading into his third season in Kamloops before the pandemic delayed the start of the WHL season. In his first two seasons with the Blazers, he played in 107 WHL games, scoring 22 goals and 45 points.
The link to the GoFundMe page can be found here.
Where we can, let’s give an assist to Kyrell. @blazerhockey @TheWHL @ConnorZary @HockeyCanada https://t.co/HSaBdvemVQ
— Craig Button (@CraigJButton) January 26, 2021