Sometimes the headlines in the hockey world go far beyond the game itself.
Sometimes they are tragic, like last Friday's discovery of Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard, dead in his Minneapolis apartment.
Sometimes they are heartwarming, like the story involving former Estevan Bruins forward Brad Herauf and the AHL's Charlotte Checkers that gained national exposure last week.
Herauf, a Regina-born enforcer who played with the Bruins in 2001-02, has been with the Checkers and their previous incarnation, the Albany River Rats, for the past three seasons.
During their time in Albany, the River Rats grew attached to an 11-year-old boy named Zach Bennett who suffers from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes soft-tissue tumours to grow on nerves.
The disease has forced Bennett to have more than 20 surgeries in his young life and has also taken both of his legs. His mother, Danielle, also has the disease.
The River Rats were one of the biggest things in Zach's life and he rarely missed a game, despite his overwhelming challenges.
When the news came in February 2010 that the River Rats were moving to Charlotte, Zach was heartbroken, and his hockey-playing heroes also realized they would miss their biggest fan.
The Bennett family eventually decided to move to Charlotte so their son could watch his team, and to be closer to specialized medical treatment.
But the move wasn't going to be easy - or cheap.
During the months that followed, Herauf - who, among the players, developed one of the strongest bonds with Zach - texted the young fan on a regular basis to see how he was doing.
Herauf and Bennett made a bet. When the Checkers won, he had to practice walking on his prosthetic legs. If they lost, he got a day off.
Before long, Zach was texting Herauf to tell him he was practicing even when they lost.
The Checkers brought the family down for a game in January, and not long after that, gave them the surprise of their life.
Through fundraising, volunteer work and their own generosity, the Checkers were going to provide the Bennetts with a home, free of charge.
When the day finally arrived, the entire team camped out in the garage, waiting to greet Zach and his family when they rolled up to their new home.
Herauf and Bennett were interviewed recently on CTV's Canada AM morning show, and the acclaimed ESPN newsmagazine E:60 featured the story on their season finale May 10.
But you have to believe it was never about the attention. Kudos to Herauf and the Checkers for fulfilling a true measure of community service.
