Support for the Humboldt Broncos continues to roll in to the Humboldt community.
While the Saskatchewan Roughriders have offered ongoing support to the club, the latest bit of that support came June 30 when the Riders hosted the Montreal Alouettes for a Humboldt Strong game.
The contest featured painted white ribbons on the 29 yard lines, in honour of the 29 people on the bus at the time of the accident.
Humboldt Strong banners were also affixed to the stadium, and a special pre-game ceremony was hosted on the field.
“Almost three months ago our province-wide community was rocked by a tragedy that to some degree seemed to touch all of us. Early on the Roughriders reached out to the Humboldt Broncos from one team to another, from one community to another asking what Rider Nation could do. Those early conversations brought us to today, our Humboldt Strong day. A day of togetherness, support, and healing,” noted the Riders public address announcer.
A four-minute video tribute to the team began the ceremony with Broncos president Kevin Garinger noting the support they have received.
“It’s been three months and the outpouring of support that we’ve had across the country, across the world in so many ways has just been incredible,” he said.
“There’s been the letters and the cards and the songs and everything else that people have done in their own way to say we’re thinking about you and we’re holding you up. When oftentimes it’s hard to hold yourself up that way. So we’re extremely blessed. We are overwhelmed by the support, it continues to pour in.”
Corner Gas creator Brent Butt, even stepped up to help offer support to both the families and the organization right from the beginning, Garinger added.
“From everyone at Corner Gas Animated; we are all Broncos. We are all Humboldt Strong,” noted Butt’s animated character Brent LeRoy. Butt’s character was then joined by each of the other animated cast members, who gave a stick tap for the club.
Along with Butt, the Roughriders offered their support to the Broncos shortly after the accident, something Garinger said has meant a lot to his club.
“It would be so difficult to go through something like this alone and I think that’s what’s been really important. You have incredible, professional organizations like the Saskatchewan Roughriders reaching out and saying we want to wrap our arms around you and help support you through your grief and help support you through your healing process.”
While everyone involved in the Broncos organization, as well as the community continue their healing process, Garinger noted that having the Broncos family together was the latest step on their healing journey.
“We will never forget what happened. We’ll never forget our loved ones who we lost. We’ll carry along our loved ones with us but we will carry on.”
Garinger finished the tribute video by thanking everyone around the world for their support in the three months since the accident.
“We just want you to know that because of you we will remain Humboldt Strong.”
The CFL also honoured the club, with the Riders and each of the other teams playing in week 3 wearing Broncos stickers on their helmets.
The Riders were led onto the field by Eddie Steele, who spent time in both Humboldt and Nipawin at various times during the winter, prior to April 6.
Steele led the Riders onto the field carrying a Humboldt Strong flag, bringing it along with him during the coin toss.
Alouette John Bowman, also carried a flag to mid-field for the coin toss, where they were met by Broncos forward Matthieu Gomercic.
Gomercic performed the coin toss, with the coin replaced instead by a puck, which featured the Broncos logo as heads, and the Humboldt Strong ribbon as tails.
Oh Canada was also sung by Saskatchewan group the Hunter Brothers, with members of the Red Cross, first responders, members of the Humboldt community, family members, billet families and players holding the Riders, Saskatchewan, and Canadian flags on the field during the anthem.
Upon the completion of the anthem, Stars held a helicopter fly-over.
More than 1,000 special guests were welcomed to Regina for the game.
On the field, the Riders struggled, particularly on offense where they turned the ball over four times and failed to register a touchdown until the fourth quarter, in a 23-17 loss.
