From the 'A Leg Up For Spencer' GoFundMe page.

Benefit roller hockey game to be played for Spencer Hale tomorrow at Canfield

From the 'A Leg Up For Spencer' GoFundMe page.
From the ‘A Leg Up For Spencer’ GoFundMe page.

By Matt Mackinder (originally on TheNRHL.com) –

The hockey community can be large and yet, seem small at times.

The roller hockey community? Decidedly smaller.

So when the news broke that White Lake 16-year-old Spencer Hale, a longtime roller hockey goaltender, had been diagnosed with cancer and had to have his left leg amputated at mid-thigh this past Monday, the National Roller Hockey League quickly took action.

More specifically, Zak Harrison from the Alkali Surge saw Hale’s story and wanted to help immediately with the costs of a titanium and composite prosthetic, something not completely covered by insurance.

The result of Harrison’s quick planning will be a “Name Your Price” game this Saturday night at the Canfield Alkali Arena in Dearborn Heights where 50 percent of all ticket sales will be donated to the Hale family.

“I felt doing this was something that could not only help out someone in need, but bring everyone together and give as much support as we can for someone who really needs it,” said Harrison. “Anyone who has been involved with the sport of hockey knows how well it can help you get away from everything around you. It has always been a way for me, personally, to deal with issues in my life, so why not bring a group of people together with the same feelings and help someone in need?”

The hometown Canfield Alkali Chiefs will host the Surge at 6:20 p.m. and amazingly, Hale will be at the arena to drop the ceremonial first puck.

“This is such a great story and when I first heard about this, there was no question we’d get involved,” NRHL commissioner Bobby Clouston said. “I can’t even imagine what the Hale family is going through, but we’ll do all we can to take away all the negative, if only for one night.”

“When something like this happens, it’s important that we all bond together to help one of our own,” added NRHL president Matt Wiedenhoeft. “Spencer is a great kid with a solid head on his shoulders and we’re going to do all we can to help out him and his family.”

MORE: A leg up for Spencer Hale

Steve Hale, Spencer’s father, said the outpouring of support from the hockey community has been overwhelming for his son, whose type pf cancer, osteosarcoma, strikes three children in every one million.

“Spencer is way ahead of schedule,” Hale said. “At physical therapy on Tuesday, they wanted him to try standing with the prosthetic and he was already walking with it. He’s a very stubborn kid and someone who doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. He has his mind set on getting back on skates and as a parent, all you can do is support your child. These prosthetics are very expensive and they start at $55,000 – that’s like buying a new Porsche – and personally, we can’t afford another car payment. So many people, and some we don’t even know, have given money to help us out (more than $25,000 in eight days via GoFundMe) and we’re just so grateful.”

Spencer, who got his start in roller hockey under current Chiefs’ head coach Dave Zarem, calls the Inline Hockey Center at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield his home roller rink and knows several players on NRHL rosters. He also won a USA Hockey 14U AA national championship with the USA Eagles ice program in 2014.

Spencer also learned how to improve his goaltending techniques through work with former Detroit Red Wings’ goalie Bob Essensa.

Steve Hale said he and his wife, Denise, herself battling multiple sclerosis, lucked out when Spencer decided to be a goaltender.

“He just has that mental toughness and the attitude where you need to suck it up and move on,” Hale said. “And he’s 16. He’s a kid that can’t wait to get back to playing, especially inline. There is still a cancer battle and he’ll undergo chemotherapy, but right now, we’re in pretty good spirits. It’s been a roller coaster, but Spencer is a kid that doesn’t go through the fuss or want any glamour from all this. He’s just a kid that wants to get back to playing hockey.”

Hale complained of knee pain earlier this year and a visit to the doctor revealed any parents’ worst fears.

“Spencer’s pain was so unbearable and the tumor wasn’t responding to the chemo, so that’s why they decided to amputate,” Steve Hale said. “The tumor had actually pushed his knee cap to the left side of his leg. I don’t know how Spencer withstood all of that, but like I said, he’s a goalie and goalies deal with things differently and have a different mentality than you and I.”

Yellow wrist bands inscribed ‘Spencer Strong’ were designed up by Hale’s USA Eagles travel ice hockey team and for a donation, one can be purchased via one of the links below.

GoFundMe page – http://www.gofundme.com/A-leg-up-for-spenc

Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spencer-Fights-Cancer/1545443505738847