Family- What Really Matters

Family- What Really Matters

“I was in a terrible situation, one that could only be seen as negative, but the love that my family showed me made me appreciate every single relationship I’ve ever made.”

August 14, 2009

August 14, 2009 was undoubtedly the worst day in my entire life. However leading up to this fateful day it was shaping up to be my best. I had played for the Airdrie X-Treme Bantam AAA and we were doing pretty good, I mean like really good. We won Westerns that year in a season that we had faced very few setbacks. Not only were we dominant on the ice but it was also to this day the best group of guys I have ever had the pleasure of competing with. We were brothers. We were family. I will always be grateful for those twenty players who went to war with me every night.

After becoming the Western Canadian Champions, the WHL draft was right around the corner. Say what you want about it, but the WHL Draft is every bantam players dream. It was my dream to lace them up in “the dub” one day against and along side many of my brothers from the Xtreme. The first part of this dream came true on April 30, when I got a call from THE team in the WHL, the Calgary Hitmen. I was taken 5^th round, 104^th overall, in what scouts were saying was the deepest draft in years. Our X-Treme team still holds the record of 11 players drafted that year. The first step towards my dream was complete; I was a member of the Calgary Hitmen organization. I knew I had a long way to go but 2009 was going to be my year and nothing would stop me, until something did.

 “I knew I had a long way to go but 2009 was going to be my year and nothing would stop me, until something did.”

We were in Calgary on the afternoon of August 14, my sister’s birthday was approaching and she wanted a new dog for her 17th birthday. That morning, my Dad, Blair, Mother, Liz and best friend Sean Davies would hop in the car and head to the city to find one, as Jenn and Taylor Schellenberg followed behind us in her PT cruiser. It didn’t take us long when we found Ryder at a Petland and immediately fell in love with him. After welcoming the newest addition to the Potter family, we headed back to Drumheller. Ryder sat in the back seat with Sean and I as Blair drove and Liz sat co-pilot. Sean and I were excited to get home, as our friend was having a big party that evening. I already had my excuse ready, training camp was less than two weeks away so I wouldn’t be drinking tonight; I took this hockey stuff pretty seriously back then. Little did I realize we would not be making the party or even making it home at all that night. The next thing I remember that evening was waking up in the hospital, unsure of what had just happened.

“Little did I realize we would not be making the party or even making it home at all that night.”

I was told we were hit head on by a drunk driver just outside of Beisker, while making our way home from Calgary. To make the situation even worse, my sister and Taylor trailed right behind us, seeing the whole thing unfold in front of their eyes. Thankfully, only a few vehicles behind us happened to be the Colberg’s. They had seen an accident ahead and being the amazing people they are pulled over to offer help. As they approached they did not know the closeness of the situation they were about endure. Uncle Kelly sat with me in the ditch, as blood ran from my head. He comforted me as time slowly passed. Aunty Heather helped by calming Jenn and Taylor down away from scene. My dad sat consoling my mom, as she lay on the ground unable to move at all. We call the Colbergs our Angels that night and enough gratitude could never be shown towards them. To the Colbergs, you are family.

There is about a 4-hour period in my life that is just black. From about half hour before the accident to 3 hours afterwards, my mind is complete darkness. I guess pure adrenaline had kicked in or perhaps it was the major concussion I sustained but the event that perspired are still only known to me through others memories. The first thing I remember is receiving stitches, as I sat up I saw the Davies family, Sean included, white as ghosts looking back at me. My first thought was relief, as I knew Sean was safe. I felt the comfort of Dylan Schellenberg and my Uncle Bryan holding my hand as the doctor pulled another thread of stitch between my eyes. I could not imagine the feeling these people had watching this but I am thankful for each and every one of them. To the Davies Family, Dylan and Uncle Bryan, you are family.

You Are Family.

I recall asking many questions about if my mom and dad were okay. I was told my mother was taken to another hospital and was badly injured. What a helpless feeling knowing that the one person in the world who has always been by your side, experiencing one of their darkest moments and you cannot be there for them. Thankfully I was told that my Aunty Heather and Uncle Kelly were right there beside her. My dad, who is the greatest man on this planet, pushed aside his injuries to support my sister as her world fell apart, having seen this horrific accident occur. I still am thankful roles were not reversed, as I cannot imagine the mental anguish Jenn would go through that night and furthermore, the rest of her life. Jenny, I love you.

“What a helpless feeling knowing that the one person in the world who has always been by your side, experiencing one of their darkest moments and you cannot be there for them.”

After fully regaining my senses, I laid in my hospital bed as Jenn brought our new dog Ryder into the room, to re-meet me I guess. I had no recollection of the dog but she told me I saved him as tears fell from her eyes. As Jenn and Ryder comforted me, I got a phone call from Shayne Gwinner. Shayne knew the one thing I needed most in that moment was a laugh. We talked on the phone for a few minutes and he helped to get my mind off things. I don’t think I have ever thanked him for that. To Shayne, you are family.

As recovery continued in the hospital I had many friends, coaches and family members come visit me in the following days. I remember Riley Guenther walking through the door, his eyes swelled with tears as he looked at me. I had only known Riley for about 3 years at the time, but he had quickly become one of my best friends, and still is today. To learn how much I meant to him in that moment was very humbling. To Riley thank you, you are family.

I remember my brother Jeff rushing down from Stettler upon hearing the news. He brought a season of East Bound and Down for me which provided some laughs and helped time pass during my stay. Thank you Jeffy, I could not ask for a better big brother. Many coaches and teammates came to visit as well. What a feeling it was to know how much all these people cared, it was absolutely incredible, even in the worst days of my life. Thank you to all of those people.

You Are Family

The days, weeks and months that followed August 14, were very difficult. But I had my mom, dad, brother, sister and grandparents there for me as I recovered. I had many friends visit and hang out with me, but no one quite like Sean. I kid you not, every morning I would wake up and come down the stairs, to see Sean already waiting for me. Over the next month Sean spent basically every waking hour with me. Sean made sure that I would not spend my recovery alone. I cannot put in to words how much that meant to me Sean, you are the definition of a best friend. He had been in the accident along side me on that day suffering some injuries of his own and still he was there beside me every step of the way as I recovered. I truly think having a friend like him helped speed my recovery process. I am forever grateful. To Sean, you are family.

You Are Family

Once I returned home, I began making steps towards returning to hockey. The doctors recommended 2 months without any strenuous activity. I had suffered a major concussion, a broken orbital bone in my face and received 12 stitches between my eyes. 2 MONTHS? That means I would miss my first WHL camp, my dream all of a sudden began to blur. 2 MONTHS? That means I would also miss Midget AAA tryouts. My dream slowly kept fading, but I was still going to try my best to achieve my goal.

Although I did miss the Calgary Hitmen camp that season, I was able to try out for the UFA Bisons, Midget AAA team a couple weeks after Hitmen Camp had ended. I think it was about 4-5 weeks since my accident that my doctor cleared me to compete and that’s what I did. Unfortunately, I was the last cut that year and my dream of playing in the dub was slightly hindered once again. I was unable to play at the highest level and ended up playing for the AC Avalanche, midget 15’ s, which I was named captain. We had a good year and I started to feel that this might be my last enjoyable year of hockey, everything felt different. From there I went on to play for the UFA Bisons and the year after that I played for the Drumheller Dragons, where I would find myself ending my career. At the end of the day, I only got to participate in one Hitmen Camp before I was released from the team.

No matter what kind of set backs hockey threw my way, I always smiled. Sure I got frustrated when things didn’t go my way but I began to realize hockey didn’t make me truly happy, it wasn’t what I was thankful for. Since the accident, I realized that family is what mattered most and that no matter how shitty things are going in hockey or in life, having people who cared about you was always bigger than a stupid game; it bigger than anything. Many people believe the accident set me back in hockey but I never used it as an excuse as to why I never achieved my 14 year-old dream. It was simple I just wasn’t good enough. But in a funny way I am happy that all this had occurred, as it really molded me into the man I am and continue to be today.

Since August 14, 2009, my family continues to grow. My brother Jeff now has a beautiful 4-year old daughter named Paisley who puts a smile on my face everyday. He married a beautiful woman named Romi who I am able to love like a sister. My sister Jenn is getting married to a wonderful man named Logan, whom I adore. My grandparents are healthy and mean the world to me. Friends like Davin Stener and Austin Treiber have become family. This is what is important and this is what matters, the relationships built. Hockey was only a small part of me. I now put my effort into building love with the people who mean the most to me.

This story could have been about perseverance or determination, rebounding from what surely could have been much worse, how only 4 weeks after the accident I returned to hockey and captained my team the same season. To me, that ‘s not the story I took out of it all, to me there was only one story I could take out of this horrible day and it was family. I guess the importance of this message is that in times of grief or sorrow, the people that truly care will always be there for you. If they are not there it’s simple they are not family. Not everyone can be family and that’s okay, only very few individuals truly are. These are the special ones. Cherish them. I learned that day that these people can never be taken for granted and in turn these feelings of love should be reciprocated to them, not only during bad times, but also through the good times too.

There will always be up and downs in life, failed relationships, lost jobs and other times that will surely test you, but the one thing that is always there for you is family. I can truly say I never fully grasped this concept until August 14, 2009. I was in a terrible situation, one that could only be seen as negative, but the love that my family showed me made me appreciate every single relationship I’ve ever made. To the people that were there then and continue to be there for me today, I say Thank you.

I will forever be grateful for my family

By Jared Potter 

     Thank You Jared

HCM Lifestyle is here to share inspiring stories from real people. Thank you Jared for sharing a story that makes us all appreciate each day we have since we never know when things may change. Thank you for reminding us all of those who are always there for us- family  (blood or not).

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