Residents mourn Chris Simon in his hometown of Wawa
The Town of Wawa is grieving the death of hometown NHLer Chris Simon, who died by suicide at age 52 this week.
Mayor Melanie Pilon said Michipicoten First Nation is burning a sacred fire for the Ojibwa man and inviting family, friends, fans and community members to pay their respects.
Pilon said Simon lived in Wawa until his death and had a large extended family in northern Ontario.
She called the Stanley Cup winner and feared former enforcer an inspiration for the community and Indigenous people.
"A person of pride, he was Wawa's hero," Pilon said.
"He really lived out his passion and made his dreams come true. And so many people in Wawa and northern Ontario -- and especially those in the Indigenous community -- really somewhat lived vicariously through him. Chris showed us all that if he could achieve his dreams, we could, too."
Pilon also shared a statement from Simon's family, thanking everyone who reached out and highlighting that Simon suffered from what they believe was a degenerative brain disorder brought on by his battles on the ice.
They urge anyone with thoughts of suicide to seek out help.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
His SUV was stolen on Montreal's South Shore. Then he got a $156 parking ticket
A couple is frustrated after their SUV was stolen from Montreal's South Shore in March and they received a parking ticket for the same vehicle last week.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Impaired driver sentenced to 7 years after double-fatal Cambridge crash
A man who killed two people in a drunk driving crash was sentenced Friday to seven years behind bars.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
Backlash over NFL player Harrison Butker's commencement speech has reached a new level
The NFL is distancing itself from controversial comments by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address.
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.