Heart of a Ranger

Last night I attended the Adam Graves Night: Heart of Ranger and it was one of the impacting moments in my life. I attended the game with a life long ranger fan and friend; my father. This was only the second time that he and I attended a Rangers game, so therefore when I received these spectacular tickets it was only fitting to take him. From the moment we walked into Madison Square Garden we were starstruck. Neither he or I ever witnessed something with that kind of magnitude and emotion. Indirectly I got to relive my childhood, standing there with my dad and witnessing my childhood idols step onto the ice one last time. There I was excited beyond belief to see Jeff Beukeboom, Tie Domi, Glenn Healy, Mike Gartner, Darren Langdon, Sergei Nemchinov, Stephane Matteau, Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Mike Richter and Adam Graves! Eyes wide open and yelling at my dad each, "Look dad its..." after every player was announced. My dad even witnessed players he adored, Eddie Giacomin and Rod Gilbert. Graves was given gifts by each group of guests, a signed Bruce Springstein guitar, a photo mosaic of his retired number, a police badge and plaque in remembrance of his late father Robert Graves, a Garden of Dreams Award and finally a signed Soprano's sweater given by the entire cast of Adam's favorite television show.

Even after the heartfelt speeches by Mark Messier and Adam Graves my dad and I were still clear eyed and silent. All that went out the window when his number 9 banner was raised while his family was at his side. The two of us turned on the waterworks, it was at that moment when my father put his arm around me, at 24 year old man and said, "I will always remember this son...I love you." If you could only imagine what that meant for the two of us, a relationship that was very "be the man of the house when Dad is gone" was like. Like I said before the whole night was one of the most impacting and emotional night of my life.

I still cannot believe I was there! I was there the night Adam Grave's jersey was retired into the rafters at Madison Square Garden. I'll be able to say to my son one day, "see that jersey up there, daddy was there that night it went up!"