A community on the southern shore of the Avalon Peninsula is putting out hockey jerseys and gear in remembrance of a young woman and her father who were killed earlier this week.
On Monday, 48-year-old Corey Kenny and his 19-year-old daughter Stacey-Lynn Kenny of Bay Bulls were on a motorcycle when they were involved in a crash with another vehicle and a moose in Aquaforte.
Stacey-Lynn was a triple-A hockey player and her Eastern Ice Breakers teammates, many of whom played with her for years, are remembering her for her kindness and support both on and off the ice.
“She was not only a team player on the ice but off the ice. Like, she brought so much light and joy,” Julia Butler told CBC News.
“You were always laughing when Stacey was around.”
Brooklyn Kitchen, another teammate, said, “she was the best teammate you could ask for. She was always just the funniest person in the room.”
Haley Ryan, who played on a number of teams with Stacey-Lynn, said what stands out in her memory was how giving her teammate was.
“It’s been pretty unimaginable. You never really think that something like this would happen,” said Ryan, adding the community support has been “amazing.”
“But I think it’s the classic Newfoundland hockey way, the community that we have… The love and support is definitely felt by everyone, for sure.”
Southern Shore comes together in memory of father and daughter after fatal crash
Her coaches said they will remember Stacey-Lynn’s commitment to the sport and teammates.
“I think she was the only player that I knew of who could get girls up at 6 a.m. in the morning and get them all to go to Tim’s together or do something special together,” said coach Tom Walsh.
Coach Tony Goobie said Stacey-Lynn was “the player’s player” and younger kids looked up to her.
“Everybody, her teammates, her coaches, you know, always looked at her as a, you know, a shining light,” he said.
In a statement to CBC News, the Town of Bay Bulls said the sight of hockey jerseys and sticks outside people’s homes has been a “simple but meaningful gesture” that signifies the community’s strength.
“In times like this, we are reminded of the compassion and unity that bind us together, and we encourage residents to continue supporting one another in the days ahead,” it reads.
In a post on social media, Ferryland MHA Loyola O’Driscoll called the deaths of the father and daughter a “tragic loss.”
“This is an incredibly difficult time for our region, and for all who knew and loved Corey and Stacey-Lynn. They will be remembered by so many for the lives they touched, and their loss is deeply felt,” he wrote.
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