#DaleyStrong ...

The call came at 5:30 PM on New Years Eve, just as our annual party was about to begin. It was my son Sam's doctor, reporting back MRI results from earlier in the day. It was news that no parent is prepared for. Sam has a brain tumor!

Nothing hits you harder than receiving such horrible news about your child. It was like being kicked in the stomach. You don't want to believe it. Surely they meant to call someone else. My son is young and strong and a college athlete. This can't be happening to him...

To tell this story properly, we need to go back a bit. When Sam was six years old, we enrolled him in a learn to skate program in Henniker, NH. While still struggling to learn to stand up on skates, Sam told his coach "I want to be a goalie," and the coach's response to him was, "Well, you've got to learn to skate first, Sam." ...and learn he did.

By the age of 12, Sam had been named to the New Hampshire select team for his age group, an honor he received again when he was 14. Throughout youth hockey, Sam was always the starting goalie. However, when he got to high school, there were three sophomore goalies ahead of him in the competition for the starting position. Sam wouldn't have had a chance to play significant minutes until his senior year.

It was near the end of his Freshman year that Sam got a call from an old coach. The coach told him that the starting goalie for Bishop Brady (the local Division 1 Catholic School) was not coming back. He wanted to know if Sam would be willing to come to the school and try out, although the spot was not guaranteed. Sam was willing to give it a try.

Sam won the spot of starting goalie his Sophomore year. By his Senior year, Sam had been named New Hampshire's Division I goalie of the year, and finished second in the state's player of the year voting.

After a year of playing junior hockey with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs, Sam decided to start his college education as a  biology major at New York University. Sam wants to be a dentist, a curious profession for a hockey player.

Sam tried out for the NYU hockey team and became starting goalie his Freshman year. In the three years with NYU, he has a .921 save percentage and 2.46 goals against average in 44 career games.

Sam's problem showed itself in October of last year. He began to feel occasional numbness and tingling in his left arm and forearm, which eventually spread to his left hip and leg.

Sam eventually went to Beth Israel hospital in Manhattan, but there he was only told to  see a specialist. A Beth Israel neurologist did a workup in early November, but, like the emergency room physicians before him,  told Sam that the numbness was likely either a result of a pinched nerve or an issue stemming from his sleeping position.

When the issue continued, Sam decided on his Winter break from college to take matters into his own hands. He called his Primary Care Doctor and requested an MRI. That was the day of New Years Eve. That was the day we got the call. Needless to say, none of us were feeling very festive with such uncertainty hanging over us like a dark cloud. Luckily, we were surrounded by close friends who helped us face this news.

We were immediately referred to a specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the leading hospitals in neurosurgery in the world. Sam's surgeon, Dr. Brian Nahed, scheduled the surgery for January 7th. During a 6½-hour procedure, Dr. Nahed removed the tumor, which was roughly the size of an apricot, from Sam's cerebellum and spinal cord stem. This was a very tricky and delicate operation.

Sam's Coach, Chris Cosentino first learned of Sam's condition via text message over winter break. He'd sent a note out to his captains regarding the team's return to practice in January, and Sam responded with a message that simply said, "We have to talk." Word of Sam's tumor flashed like wild fire to the rest of the NYU team, which banded together to create a video in support of Sam. They got this to him the night before his surgery. NYU Hockey Team supports Goaltender with Brain Tumor .

The team also started a social media blitz in support of Sam using the hashtag #DaleyStrong on Twitter.

The response from the hockey community was immediate and overwhelming. NHL Teams, college teams, former teammates and bitter rivals all began to Tweet their support to Sam using the #DaleyStrong. It was truly amazing and so helpful in keeping all of our spirits up during this difficult ordeal.

Sam's story even gained national attention. He received a shout out on NHL Live and had articles written by ESPN ESPN: NYU Goalie fighting Tumor and Fox Sports Fox Sports: Family and Friends Rally around NYU Goaltender. The Boston Bruins, Sam's favorite team, will be sending him an autographed photo from their goalie, Tukka Rask, along with some other things. NYU's biggest hockey rival, William Patterson University even sent Sam a cookie basket. Rivals on the ice and family off. The NHL even sent him a box of stuff! The hockey community really looks out for their own.


Three days after brain surgery, Sam returned home to begin his recovery which could take up to 8 weeks. He is really looking forward to getting back to school in New York City and being with his team, even if he can't get on the ice yet with them. He could possibly be back on the ice for light workout at the end of the 8 weeks. For now we're taking one day at a time. Thanks for reading!