Edmonton Oilers Fans Must Appreciate Alex Pietrangelo After Emotional Interview

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Skyler Walker
July 12, 2023 (8:15 PM)

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In a heartwarming moment, Alex Pietrangelo, defenseman for the Vegas Golden Knights, celebrated their Stanley Cup win with his 4-year-old daughter, Evelyn.

Evelyn, who had faced health challenges just six months prior, brought joy to her father as they embraced on the ice. Pietrangelo expressed his gratitude for her recovery and the opportunity to share this special moment with her.

"This is the most surreal moment of my life," the Golden Knights defenseman said, his voice cracking with emotion as he hugged Evelyn. "To have her here in my arms, celebrating Daddy's Stanley Cup win, just to celebrate anything "

He paused. The emotions flooded through him. His eyes welled up. "You have to understand what it means for her to be here with me, with us, like this," Pietrangelo said. "Six months ago, she couldn't eat, she couldn't talk, she couldn't walk. Six months ago, I was ready to give up my career for her.

"I never envisioned a moment like this back then. And now, to win a Cup, to have her running around the ice to celebrate with us, I mean, dreams do come true. And this is a dream."

Despite tears of joy, he reflected on the difficult times they had endured. Evelyn's resilience and progress served as a reminder of the miracles that can happen. The Pietrangelo family's journey has been marked by challenges, but on this night, they celebrated Evelyn's recovery and her presence in their lives.

"She couldn't open her eyes for five days," Pietrangelo recalled.

He was ready to give it all up at the time. If it meant hanging up his skates for good, so be it.

He'd loved hockey ever since he was a boy In King City, Ontario, just north of Toronto.

He loved his daughter more.

"You wonder what plan God has for you when something like that happens," he said. "You're not thinking about hockey, about when you might play again. Who cares? All you're thinking about is, 'What's happening to her? Why is it happening to her? And what can I do to help her get better?'"

"Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at where she is," Pietrangelo recalled. "It usually hit me when I was on the road and my wife would send me a video of her. Sometimes you take things for granted and need a reminder."

This, he said, was one of these times.

"There she is, on the video, dancing and singing in the living room," he recalled. "The kids got a few songs about God and Jesus that they like and sing and dance to.

"That's when it really hits you hard. That's when you really appreciate how far she's come."

We wish your family the best Alex, sincerely, the Oilers fan base.