McDavid Surprised by Family of Oilers Superfan After Winning the Hart Trophy
nhl.com
During the 2023 NHL Awards, Connor McDavid was honored with the Hart Trophy for being the league's most valuable player. However, he was taken by surprise when he stepped on stage to accept the award. Country artist Darius Rucker introduced the family of Ben Stelter, a young fan who had developed a special bond with McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers before tragically passing away from cancer at the age of six in 2022.
McDavid hugged Ben's father, Mike, and then hugged Ben's sisters, Emmy and Dylan, as well as his mother, Lea, before receiving the award from Mike. McDavid expressed his surprise and gratitude, emphasizing how much it meant to him to share that moment with the Stelter family and to remember their beloved son, Ben.
"Wow," McDavid told the audience. "That was an incredible surprise, and it means so much to me to be standing up here with the Stelters thinking about our buddy Ben."
nhl.com
Ben had been battling glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, and had undergone surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. He had formed a close bond with McDavid and the Oilers. He had the opportunity to skate alongside McDavid during the pre-game anthems, giving players fist bumps and even attending press conferences with the team. McDavid had gifted Ben his own Upper Deck trading card as a token of their special friendship.
During the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Mike would share videos of Ben saying their victory song, "La Bamba," after each win. Ben's infectious energy and positivity impacted the team and McDavid profoundly, teaching them valuable life lessons.
"You could tell that it was never for show or anything like that," Mike said. "Connor and Ben were buddies. Like, they loved each other, and what they meant to each other was a really, really tight, special bond."
During the NHL Awards ceremony, McDavid participated in a lighthearted segment on the TNT set. When asked to thank his hot tub in his Hart Trophy acceptance speech, McDavid instead mentioned the Ben Stelter Fund, a charity established in Ben's memory. Studio analyst Paul Bissonnette pledged to donate $5,000 to the charity if McDavid mentioned it, and McDavid agreed. He also pledged to match Bissonnette's donation.
The Stelter family, watching the ceremony, was deeply moved by McDavid's gesture. The Ben Stelter Fund, launched in December, aims to create magical experiences for children battling cancer, provide necessary medical equipment, support research for better treatments, and engage in venture philanthropy. The fund has already raised over $1 million and has made a significant impact on the lives of children fighting cancer.
McDavid's spontaneous commitment to donate and match Bissonnette's contribution further supports the work of the Ben Stelter Fund. The unexpected connection between mentioning the charity and the hot tub donation highlighted the significance of Ben's memory and the important work being done by the Stelter family to help other families facing similar challenges.
Mike expressed his gratitude for the NHL's recognition of Ben and the impact he had on the Oilers and the hockey community. He emphasized how Ben's kindness and caring nature extended to other children battling cancer, as he would use his own money to buy toys for them. The Stelter family continues to honor Ben's legacy by helping other kids in need and supporting various initiatives.
"I think obviously he meant a lot to our group, a lot to me as well," McDavid said. "He was an amazing little guy, and just to see his life and how much energy and excitement he brought to our group while going through something like that was amazing to see and definitely taught me a lot of lessons."
Overall, the night was emotionally significant for McDavid, the Stelter family, and the NHL community as they remembered Ben's spirit and celebrated the positive impact he had during his young life.
