When Princess Diana died in 1997, Elton John rewrote the lyrics to Candle in the Wind in a musical tribute. When Garrett Paquette passed away, his friends and family arranged a different sort of tribute — chucking a large salmon onto the ice during an NHL game.
Paquette, a Leafs fan, had planned to toss a salmon onto the ice during the much-anticipated matchup between the Vancouver Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs before he died in an ATV accident in November.
Roger Paquette, Garrett’s father, planned the trip and stunt in memory of his son.
“Roger brought three fish with him. He had these wild ideas in his head and was committed to doing it and Garrett was the same way,” said Joey Smith, one of three friends who volunteered to strap a five-pound salmon to their stomach and smuggle it into Rogers Arena.
“My only thought (when going through security) was that I hope I don’t get patted down,” he said. “I was just going to say I was hungry if I got caught with it.”
With four minutes left in the third period, Smith’s friend tossed a five-pound salmon from the lower bowl onto the ice.
Smith was injured in the same ATV accident in which Paquette died and was unable to throw the fish himself.
He said he hopes the tribute will evolve into a salmon-tossing tradition during home games.
“I think (Garrett) is incredibly proud. Wherever he is, he’s looking down on us smiling,” said Smith.
“It’s these little things like this that help us remember him better, a tribute to him and the amazing guy that he was.”
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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