Retired NHLer Kelly Hrudey remembers his friend, Huntington Hills shooter David McQueen
Clara Ho
First posted: Wednesday, January 27, 2016 05:29 PM EST | Updated: Wednesday, January 27, 2016 07:09 PM EST
Retired NHL star Kelly Hrudey knows the importance of speaking out on mental health issues — made even more important with the violent death of one of his friends.
The former NHL goalie and hockey broadcaster had read a newspaper article about David McQueen and was touched to learn about the Calgary father who was paralyzed in a diving accident at Sikome Lake in 1994 and had started selling flowers downtown to support his children.
“I went down there to visit anonymously. I didn’t tell him who I am or what I do or anything. I just sat there and chatted with him,” Hrudey said.
“He had a great sense of humour, he loved to laugh, he was engaging.”
From those early conversations, a years-long friendship blossomed, with the two men often sitting down for lunch or coffee and long chats.
So when Hrudey learned McQueen, 53, was killed in an armed standoff with police Sunday evening, he was crushed.
McQueen was killed by police after firing multiple shots from his Huntington Hills home, hitting a Calgary Transit bus and narrowly missing the driver.
In the months leading up to the shooting, McQueen had filled his Facebook page with angry posts about the government, the healthcare system, the police and his neighbours.
But when his service dog, Bear, died of cancer earlier this month, that’s when his frustrations escalated and his depression worsened, according to loved ones.
“It’s terrible,” Hrudey said.
“He was everything you wanted in a friend. Unfortunately, and we’ve seen it with a lot of people with mental health issues, it can be completely debilitating. That’s why we need to talk and find the help everybody needs.”
Hrudey said after getting to know McQueen and his two sons, Justin and Chris, he wanted to do everything he could to help him.
Hrudey enlisted his wife Donna, the Bow Valley Club, the Easter Seals, his dentist Murray Knebel, and his friends Jeff Marshall and Dave Bamber to help McQueen with everything from his flower cart to dental work for the kids.
McQueen’s son, Justin, said he remembers Hrudey helping his family a lot, adding: “Kelly was my dad’s best friend.”
Hrudey said it was clear that McQueen was struggling from his frequent Facebook posts.
“Because one of our daughters has mental health issues and it’s important we talk about it because (Wednesday) is Bell Let’s Talk (a charitable program dedicated to mental health), that over the course of the last few years, there’s no question to me he had some irrational thoughts,” Hrudey said.
“I just know that when Dave was well and functioning in society, he was just so proud of what he was accomplishing. Those were the good days. It’s important we talk about mental health because Dave was more than what happened.”
twitter.com/clara_ho
Retired NHLer Kelly Hrudey remembers his friend, Huntington Hills shooter David
Clara Ho
First posted: Wednesday, January 27, 2016 05:29 PM EST | Updated: Wednesday, January 27, 2016 07:09 PM EST
Retired NHL star Kelly Hrudey knows the importance of speaking out on mental health issues — made even more important with the violent death of one of his friends.
The former NHL goalie and hockey broadcaster had read a newspaper article about David McQueen and was touched to learn about the Calgary father who was paralyzed in a diving accident at Sikome Lake in 1994 and had started selling flowers downtown to support his children.
“I went down there to visit anonymously. I didn’t tell him who I am or what I do or anything. I just sat there and chatted with him,” Hrudey said.
“He had a great sense of humour, he loved to laugh, he was engaging.”
From those early conversations, a years-long friendship blossomed, with the two men often sitting down for lunch or coffee and long chats.
So when Hrudey learned McQueen, 53, was killed in an armed standoff with police Sunday evening, he was crushed.
McQueen was killed by police after firing multiple shots from his Huntington Hills home, hitting a Calgary Transit bus and narrowly missing the driver.
In the months leading up to the shooting, McQueen had filled his Facebook page with angry posts about the government, the healthcare system, the police and his neighbours.
But when his service dog, Bear, died of cancer earlier this month, that’s when his frustrations escalated and his depression worsened, according to loved ones.
“It’s terrible,” Hrudey said.
“He was everything you wanted in a friend. Unfortunately, and we’ve seen it with a lot of people with mental health issues, it can be completely debilitating. That’s why we need to talk and find the help everybody needs.”
Hrudey said after getting to know McQueen and his two sons, Justin and Chris, he wanted to do everything he could to help him.
Hrudey enlisted his wife Donna, the Bow Valley Club, the Easter Seals, his dentist Murray Knebel, and his friends Jeff Marshall and Dave Bamber to help McQueen with everything from his flower cart to dental work for the kids.
McQueen’s son, Justin, said he remembers Hrudey helping his family a lot, adding: “Kelly was my dad’s best friend.”
Hrudey said it was clear that McQueen was struggling from his frequent Facebook posts.
“Because one of our daughters has mental health issues and it’s important we talk about it because (Wednesday) is Bell Let’s Talk (a charitable program dedicated to mental health), that over the course of the last few years, there’s no question to me he had some irrational thoughts,” Hrudey said.
“I just know that when Dave was well and functioning in society, he was just so proud of what he was accomplishing. Those were the good days. It’s important we talk about mental health because Dave was more than what happened.”
twitter.com/clara_ho
Retired NHLer Kelly Hrudey remembers his friend, Huntington Hills shooter David
