After spending many years sitting in cold rinks cheering on her children, a Cape Breton woman is set to see her first NHL game thanks to a surprise gift from her kids.
Phyllis Keating is no stranger to hockey games. While her children were growing up she was always there to support them – whether it be a game of shinny on the Mira River or in the stands at the local rink.
“You could always hear mom in the stands with cowbell,” says Phyllis’ son Paul Keating. “She was always there for us and those are one of my memories as a youth. Sometimes it was hard on the head, she was a little loud, but it was always great to have mom there.”
Attending an NHL game has been a long-time goal for the 84-year-old. To show their appreciation for all she has done for them, Phyllis’ children decided to make her dream come true.
Her children bought the tickets, booked the hotels, and arranged the flights to surprise their mom.
“I knew it was something that she’s never done before,” says Phyllis’s daughter Monica Brewer. “She’s in her eighties now and we want to take advantage of every bit of time we have with her. I knew this would be a special event for us all to attend.”
The family will attend a Pittsburgh Penguins game later this month, when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.
“I’m excited to go, can’t wait. Hopefully I’ll see my boy,” says Phyllis.
That boy is the pride of Cole Harbour, N.S. and star centre Sidney Crosby.
“I just got use to him and supported him,” says Phyllis. “I watch all of his games. I don’t watch any of the other games, just the Penguins.”
Besides seeing Crosby on the ice, Phyllis says she hopes to catch a glimpse of him off the ice as well.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kyle Moore
