Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Mitch Marner thanks Vaughan firefighters for saving hockey memorabilia

Yorkregion.com
July 28, 2016
By Adam Martin-Robbins

For many Ontario teenagers, turning 19 is a major milestone they plan to celebrate with festivities aimed at creating happy memories that will last a lifetime.

But for Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Mitch Marner his big birthday on May 5 turned out to be a day filled with unforgettable emotional highs and lows.

The first big high came when Marner and his London Knights teammates crushed the Niagara Ice Dogs 4-1 in the first game of the Ontario Hockey League championship series.

Sadly, the thrill of victory was quickly overshadowed by the news, delivered by his parents who’d driven to London to celebrate his birthday, that a raging fire tore through their Thornhill home earlier in the day.

Marner’s first concern was for their pets - a chocolate Labrador retriever named Winston and a cat named Burbank.

To his relief, he found out Vaughan firefighters made a special effort to rescue the animals after learning they were inside the fiery, smoke-filled home on Autumn Hill Boulevard.

Then his dad, Paul Marner, delivered even more good news.

He told Mitch the firefighters made a special effort to save the irreplaceable hockey medals, MVP awards, trophies and other memorabilia including his Maple Leafs draft jersey that were stored in his bedroom.

On Thursday, Mitch and his dad visited Fire Station 7-8 to express their gratitude to the 35 firefighters who went beyond the call of duty to save their pets as well as about “90 per cent” of Mitch’s hockey career keepsakes.

Mitch said it “meant a lot” to be able to say thanks.

“Every day they’re out there risking their lives for people, regular families, going into homes and saving people’s dogs, cats, memorabilia...and stuff that means a lot to them,” Mitch told reporters after touring the fire hall, chatting with the firefighters and posing for pictures.

“They risked their own lives to go in and save my animals and save my stuff so it’s pretty remarkable to see what they do every day.”

Paul Marner echoed those sentiments when he spoke to the crowd gathered inside the fire hall.

“I can’t say enough for you guys who went into the house to rescue the dog and the cat. To Mitch, it meant the world,” he said. “You did make what could have been an awful day turn out to be a great day.”

To show his appreciation, Mitch presented the firefighters with a framed picture showing him hoisting the Memorial Cup that he helped the Knights win this spring.

He also brought the Memorial Cup MVP award, one of several pieces of hardware he has collected during a stellar junior hockey season that also saw him named the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player, the OHL playoff MVP and CHL Player of the Year.

Deputy Fire Chief Deryn Rizzi called saving the Marners’ keepsakes the “silver lining” of the tragedy.

“On May 5, 2016, the Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service saved more than just a home, they saved memories and they saved dreams,” she said. “When firefighters are able to save something critical to the owner that’s the silver lining on the fire for us.”

The cause of the fire, believed to have started in the garage area, is still under investigation.