A Visit With Our Captain. He's Definitely The "Real Deal!"
I went to Chicago this past Tuesday to visit our Captains at Shriner's Childrens Hospital. I got to see Aaron and had a great, albeit somewhat short, visit with hm. All I've got to say about Aaron... HE IS TOTALLY AWESOME!!! Absolutely the "Real Deal." He, by far, is the greatest young man I've ever met. He's just so much fun to be with... full of life, energy, and determination. Simply the very best!!! I was so proud to be with him and so proud of him. That pride radiates because he's the ultimate... so positive, friendly, outgoing, with a sense of what he wants and what he wants to do. And is he ever so smart! An 8 year-old? Yes, but no because he has so much to say and he says it. He told me a lot in the limited time we were together. We had a great connection and conversation. I loved being with him. It was so cool. I was blown away.
As I gave him his hockey jerseys from GFHA and USA Hockey, his eyes lit up and a huge smile came across his face... priceless, simply priceless. I told him they were a little big and he said, "I like things a little big." He immediately put on the USA Hockey jersey with his number 44 on the back and repeatedly told me, "Thank you." As he was looking over the GFHA jersey with his name and number on the back and the captain's "C" on the front, he was just so happy and said, "Oh cool! Thank you, thank you so much." At one point he did ask me, "Who are the Ice Raiders? I don't know who they are." He got me laughing on that one. I also gave him hockey pucks and when I handed him my pro hockey skates to look over, he said, "Oh wow! These are so cool!" About my skates, he did ask me, "Are these mine?" I hated to tell him no but I had to reply, "I need them." If I ever have another pair made, they'll be his. As he was looking over my skates he told me, "I want to skate." Lost for words, I hesitated a moment and he said, "But I don't know how." I said, "Do you want me to teach you?" He said, "Would you teach me?" I shook his hand and said, "It's a done deal." He replied back, "You'd be my coach?" I said, "I'll be your coach."
He was suppose to sign my stick, which he said, "You want my name on your stick?" and I said, "Yeah," and play floor hockey in the open rec / play area but the visit was cut short. I didn't get to see his brother, Peter. He was in therapy. If all goes right, I'm hoping to get a chance to return before they return to Houston. I've got Peter's jerseys to give him, play a little floor hockey with both, get my stick signed, and continue that awesome visit wth my very best friend, the "Real Deal."
By the way, Aaron's body shield is now gone. Another major victory for him. One last thing, after giving Aaron his jerseys, he was looking in my hockey bag as I was going through it to find the other things I had for him and he said, "What's the yellow jersey for (a Tim Horton's Timbit jersey), and what's the blue jersey for (a USA Hockey NHL/ADM jersey)?" Not to overload him down on one trip, he didn't know they were for him, also. I said, "You can have them." In a very nice voice, he said, "No. You give them to your kids." As he was leaving to go to more therapy I gave him the blue #11 USA Hockey NHL/ADM jersey. He'll get the yellow #24 Timbit jersey, too. So will Peter. - Mick Carroll, Aaron's Hockey Coach
A special thanks to Matt Walker of Perani's Hockey World and Andrew Merrick of Bauer Hockey Co. for working with me to make this happen. Also, a special thanks to the #1 hockey player in the NHL, Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Jake Wesolek, Manager/Marketing Director of USA Hockey's NTDP and the entire USA Hockey U/18 National Team for the soon to be delivered autographed sticks, and to the #1 blues/rock guitarist, 12 year-old Quinn Sullivan for the signed cds and the autographed concert tees.
Our Captains Rock With Their Houston Texans!
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Aaron Berry shows his approval of his Texans.
For more on Aaron and his brother, Peter, please read below or click on
"2011-12 GFHA Co-Captains" link to the top left
Our Captains Enjoy A Visit With Their Favorite Team, The Texans!!!
 
 
 
Our Captains, Peter and Aaron Berry, were invited by the Houston Texans to a practice and during the practice, the head coach came over to visit with them and told them they are welcomed anytime they want. With practices being held during school hours, Aaron replied "I'm just going to tell my teachers what the manager said that to come out of school and come to the practice anytime... so for sure they'd let us come out of school!" For more on our captains, see "GFHA's Most Valuable Players" below.
To view the video from My Fox Houston, which includes one awesome interview with Aaron, click here. My advice to his teachers, you better listen to our captain otherwise you'll hear from me. - Mick Carroll
On July 2nd, Aaron, Willa, Peter, and their parents, Josh and Robin Berry, were returning home to Houston, Texas from a trip to Colorado. Just outside of Fort Stockton, Texas, the family was involved in a terrible car accident in which three people, including their parents, lost their lives. Thankfully, Aaron, Willa, and Peter survived. Willa, age 6, suffered a broken arm and ankle. Aaron, age 8, and Peter, age 9, had to airlifted to a medical facilty in Lubbock, Texas. Once there, Aaron immediately had emergency surgery to repair internal injuries. Both Aaron and Peter suffered spinal injuries and have pins placed along their spinal columns to help stablize their backs. Both are currently paralyzed from the waist down.
To read more about Peter and Aaron, please click here. Also, please see below for updates.
UPDATE 11/01/11: It's been a while since I've updated our Captains status because of USA Hockey's software update that will overwrite everything I do, back to Sept. 14th. Peter and Aaron left Shriners in Chicago some 6 weeks ago and are back home in Houston. As you can see from the photos above, Aaron got his halo remove, about 3 weeks ago. What a major victory for him! Both are back in school and doing well. Their favorite team, the Houston Texans, have taken Peter and Aaron under their wing and are looking after them. This is totally cool! Never say pro athletes don't care because they do. Thank you Texans, for taking care of our Captains!!!!
Speaking of Peter and Aaron being great athletes, I got to view a video of Peter (#31 P-Dog) taking a kick-off, and during the run back, break tackle after tackle to score his first touchdown on his very first touch of the ball in his first seaon of him and Aaron playing youth football.
And they won a championship!!! Cick here to view.
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