They suffered through a horrific tragedy and the nation mourned with them.
Now, the Humboldt Broncos have reunited.
All the surviving members of the team that went through the 2018 bus crash got together for the first time since the tragedy this past week.
Ryan Straschnitzki is one of the survivors.
He told 980 CJME about what the reunion meant to him.
“It was cool. It’s been a while since we’ve all seen each other, so I guess finally getting to see each other in a calm environment was really humbling. It was really good to see the guys. It brought back a lot of memories and we just had a good time,” he said.
While many athletes are close with their teammates, their shared tragedy makes the bond even more special.
“We were a team before, but even closer now because of (the crash). Because we all experienced it, in our own ways, but at the same time. We were all there, we were all involved in one way or another … Knowing each other as the guys who survived the crash for the rest of our lives, it’s something we didn’t pick but it just happened,” he explained.
“I’m really glad that we’re all really close, so for sure we’re going to remember this for the rest of our lives.”
The former teammates have been spending their lives after the crash in different spots across the country. For example, Stratschnitzki now plays sledge hockey in Alberta.
They all make an effort to stay in touch, but the in-person reunion was particularly special.
“Everyone’s pretty busy, so we do our best to stay in touch,” Stratschnitzki said. “But at the same time … everyone heals in their own way, so you have to be mindful of that, but at the same time keep in touch and make sure everyone’s doing alright.”
Xavier Labelle hosted the weekend get-together in Saskatoon. The guys went out to the Cactus Club Cafe and had a pool party with a few other friends.
Stratschnitzki said they’ll likely make the summertime reunion an annual tradition.
