#StrazStrong hats raise funds to support Alberta player injured in Humboldt Broncos bus crash

Those who know RyanStraschnitzkisay the Airdrie, Alta., teenager was always in a league of his own when it came to physical strength.

That strength is something friends and family of the18-year-oldsay he'll need, as Straschnitzki recovers in hospitalfrom a spinal cord injury. Nicknamed 'Straz', heisone of the Humboldt Broncos injured in thedevastatingcrashthat claimed the lives of 15 members of a junior hockey teamon Friday.

To supportStraschnitzkiand his family, friend andboxing coachCody Thompson has started a fundraiserselling hats labelled with #strazstrongand a number10 Straschnitzki's number with the Humboldt Broncos stitched inthe team's colours of green and gold.

Cody Thompson gets emotional after Humboldt crash

6 years ago

Duration 1:05

Cody Thompson is a friend of Ryan 'Straz' Straschnitzki, who was injured in the Humboldt bus crash.

After two days, Thompson said they've sold more than 100 hats and he ispromising allprofitto the Straschnitzkifamily.

The cost to make the caps is $10 and they're being sold for $30 on Facebook under the hashtag #strazstrong, with some people voluntarily paying more.

Money to fund long-term medical costs

Thompson doesn't want his fundraiser to detract from a successful GoFundMe campaign to support everyone affected by the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.

"The amount of money that's been raised is incredible buta lot of times these numbers hit something that seems large and we lose perspective that this is going to be split between 29 different entities," said Thompson.

"Even $10 millionsplit the financial hardship can be something that is immense."

Straschnitzkiwas supposed to work for his friend and coach at theWhite Collar Boxing Company gym thissummer. Thompson saidschedules were already set andifthe Broncoshad lost the game they never made it to in Nipawin, Sask.,Strazwould have returned toAirdrie and worked his first shift at the gym on Tuesday.

"[Straz]was a very big part of our community, part of the fabric of the hockey community withinAirdrie," said Thompson.

Straschnizki'sjob will be waiting for him at the gym whenever he's ready to come back, according to Thompson.The 18-year-old is currentlyrecovering in hospital.

• Alberta player suffers broken back in Humboldt Broncos bus crash

Straschnitzki's father, Tom, said Ryan couldn't feel anything below his waist as of Saturday before undergoing surgery.

There were 29 people on the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team's buswhen a transport truck collided with it near Tisdale, Sask., on Friday. Fifteen peoplewere killed and 14 injured. The driver of the truck was not hurt.

A vigil was held at the Elgar Petersen Arena in Humboldt, Sask., to mourn the victims on Sunday night.

'We'll stickhandle our way through this

6 years ago

Duration 6:55

Humboldt Mayor Rob Muench addresses a packed arena for a vigil honouring the those killed and injured in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.

Thompson said he was devastated when he heard about the crash.

"It was the worst call I could imagine getting," he said.

Canada's hockey community is tight-knit, and Straschnitzki wasn't the only person Thompson knewon the bus that night.

Coach Darcy Haugan, who died in the collision, was Thompson's hockey coach during his rookie year with the Bonnyville Pontiacs.

Thompson hopes the fundraiser will help people cope with the shock of the tragedy.

"It's still very hard, I think for all of us, dealing and understanding where Ryan's going to be. And knowing that we're going to be going through this and thatthe plan we had isn't going to take place," he said.

• What we know about the Humboldt Broncos crash victims from Alberta
• Lethbridge hockey player's organs to be donated after fatal Humboldt Broncos bus crash