Persevering Paige

You wouldn’t have to talk to many people to find out that I am one of the biggest Caps fans you’ll ever meet. Or should I say used to be.

The story of how I became a Caps fan is long, but I will shorten it by saying that watching the games was a safe place for me to go to escape all of the problems going on in my life that I didn’t want to face. Since then, I have leaned on the Caps for a lot, and formed many bonds through the simple activity of watching hockey. 

My best friend, Reagan, and I watched games together all of the time. We even attended one together when we were in 8th grade. We were hockey buddies at the finest. My bestie and hockey buddy died our senior year from Euwings Sarcoma bone cancer that she had been fighting since July of 2008. Although watching games post this tragedy was hard, it was not to worry, I had another and equally amazing hockey buddy, my Uncle Semin. 

After losing both of my parents, I eventually moved in with my Mom’s sister and her husband-my Aunt and Uncle more easily put. My uncle knew how much I loved hockey and had watched games before and so through hockey, my relationship with my uncle grew into something it never was before, he became one of my greatest friends. We began to watch the games together every night. My uncle and I went to many games together as well; he was even at the game that I attended with my friend Reagan. My uncle caught on to the “hockey lingo” and texted me things about the players in the middle of the day using their nicknames. I felt like my love of something that was so rare in the area was finally understood by someone else. We went through all of the losing seasons, winning seasons, devastating playoff eliminations, and glorious playoff wins together. 

… A little over a month ago, my uncle and greatest friend also passed away tragically and unexpectedly.

Just like that both of my hockey buddies were gone.

I have no words for how hurt this makes me feel.

The one thing that brought me so much happiness in my life, has now become painful. 

   
People have told me that I need to continue to watch the games, because someone has to carry on the love of the Caps, and it has to be me since I have been a fan for so long. 

Maybe that day will come. Hopefully it will.

However, right now it is just too hard and too soon…

-A fan