I never knew about Terry until the news about him missing started to surface on various media channels. It didn't take long to sense his passion for the game though. As parents, coaches and instructors, passion for the game is a hard skill to teach and a hard one for some players to acquire. It sets you back when you get news of a hockey player's life ending so early. Terry was only 20 years old.
His circumstances and release from his OHL team raises questions. Does too much passion for the game close opportunities beyond hockey? Does the OHL have a policy and procedure for releasing players? Does that policy take into consideration emotional and mental state of the player? Should a teammate, team official or family member accompany the player home? Did his teammates try to intervene in Terry's violation of team policy? Did the teammates have a neutral mentor to go to for additional help?
Hockey or not, 20 is a tough age of transition for many. Not finding a job after university, looking for a place to live, looking for money to finance a lifestyle or looking for a new passion. It's difficult to do it alone.
His death could have been prevented and the world would have known him for other contributions to life.
- Dean Sprung
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