Brown Leaves an IMPACT on Kids
The following article appeared in the February 3 issue of the Brown Daily Herald.
By Ethan Mccoy
Sports Editor
As the puck slid through the crease and into the net, the Brown men's hockey team erupted into cheers. The goal wasn't an overtime game-winner. It wasn't a goal to upset a ranked opponent. It was not even a goal in a game. But this goal was special.
That goal — on the Bears' home ice at Meehan Auditorium — was the first time Ethan Bairos lit the lamp. The men's hockey roster includes the names, years and hometowns of 30 players. In truth, that number is 31. The name Bairos won't show up in any scoring sheets or scouting reports, but it is the name of the newest Brown Bear to join the men's hockey family. Ethan is a seven-year old boy from nearby Berkely, Mass., who for the last year has been undergoing treatment in his battle against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. In October, Ethan joined the men's hockey team, and for the past few months, the two have developed a bond neither will soon forget.
"The first time he got on that ice, when they taught him how to skate, it was awesome," said Debbie Bairos, Ethan's mother. "When he scored, they cheered just like they had scored a goal in their biggest game. They cheered for him, and when we watched that, the tears came to our eyes."
Complete article can be accessed via the Daily Herald Web site by clicking here.
