Calgary Flames honor long-time assistant GM Chris Snow with an emotional tribute video after his ‘catastrophic brain injury’
- Snow’s wife Kelsie revealed the NHL director is unlikely to wake from a coma
- Snow, now 42, was diagnosed with ALS in 2019 and given just a year to live
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The Calgary Flames honored their longtime assistant general manager Chris Snow with an emotional tribute ahead of Friday night’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers, following the hockey manager’s “catastrophic brain injury” earlier this week.
Reports that Snow was on life support emerged Wednesday after his wife Kelsie shared an update on his health on social media. Organ donation is now being arranged.
Snow was diagnosed four years ago with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He went into cardiac arrest on Tuesday after suffering life-threatening brain damage due to lack of oxygen.
“Tests yesterday confirmed Chris is not waking up,” Kelsie posted on social media Thursday. “During his life, Chris volunteered his body to a clinical trial to help others. At death he will do the same. He remains on life support while organ donation is arranged. We are so proud of him.’
On Friday, before the showdown at Scotiabank Saddledome, the Flames showed a three-minute tribute video on the arena’s jumbotron, which started with a clip of Snow and the hashtag #Snowystrong before diving into his life and career with the NHL franchise.
The Calgary Flames paid tribute to former assistant GM Chris Snow prior to Friday’s game
Snow went into cardiac arrest this week after suffering a brain injury due to a lack of oxygen
Snow, a former sports journalist, moved to the NHL years ago and was active in ALS research
“The Calgary Flames and the entire hockey community are devastated that one of our own, Chris Snow, has been placed on a ventilator with no hope of waking up after his battle with ALS,” the video’s narrator said.
The video also mentioned that Snow, now 42, fought his battle against ALS with “grace and courage” despite only having a year to live at the time of his diagnosis in 2019.
After the clip ended, the Flames held a moment of applause in lieu of a minute of silence to honor Snow’s life and legacy. Fans from Calgary and Edmonton then teamed up to give the hockey manager a loud ovation as players tapped their sticks on the ice.
In an article earlier this year about Snow, Boston.com reported that his father, two of his uncles and a cousin all died of ALS, in which a specific mutation runs through the family.
Snow, now 42, was given a year to live when he was diagnosed with ALS five years ago in 2019
Flames players tapped their sticks on the ice in a sign of applause for Snow before they faced off
Fans applauded Snow for a full minute, instead of honoring him with a minute of silence
He continued to work for the Flames this year despite increasing health problems and time spent in the hospital.
Snow, a former sports journalist, moved to the NHL years ago. He served as director of hockey operations for the Minnesota Wild from 2006 to 2010 and joined the Flames in 2011 as director of hockey analytics.
In September 2019, he was promoted to assistant general manager.
Kelsie, who shares two children with Chris, ended her post on a personal and emotional note on Wednesday.
“My chest feels open and hollowed out,” she wrote.
“Chris is the most beautiful, brilliant person I will ever know and life without him feels untenable. Hug your people.”