Alan Reddish with Natalie Villabrera-Williams
By Lois Thomson
A Hollywood script couldn’t have written it any better. A man expresses his dying wish to see his beloved hockey team in person one more time; a hospice and palliative care provider puts everything together in record time; the man has a chance to watch the game from premier seats; and weeks later the team goes on to win the Stanley Cup.
All of this happened to Alan Reddish, with the help of VITAS Healthcare, and Natalie Villabrera-Williams, RN, in particular. Reddish, now 53, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease when he was just 37 years old, and since 2022 has been living at Lenox on the Lake, an assisted living community. But despite his illness, Reddish never lost his love of sports, and especially hockey.
Villabrera-Williams said Reddish is “fiercely independent,” and is quite mobile during his days at Lenox, using an electric scooter to get around. He plays poker two or three times a week, and is always willing to talk sports. In fact, that’s how the relationship developed between her and Reddish.
“We’ve known each other for about a year-and-a-half, and the bond grew slowly but surely,” she said. “As I got to know him better, he started teaching me about hockey. I wasn’t a fan before, but he made me one. Our bond formed over time, especially through his love for the Panthers.”
One incident in particular helped Villabrera-Williams understand just how important hockey was to her new friend. She noticed that his beard was getting a little scruffy and asked why he hadn’t shaved. She said Reddish quickly explained the hockey tradition for players and fans alike: “The Panthers are in the playoffs. You don’t shave during the playoffs.”
Reddish had been to hockey games in the past, but had not been able to make one since 2007, and he often reminisced with Villabrera-Williams about it. She said they started watching highlights together, and he would tell her all about the team. “He’s incredibly passionate about it and hockey became our special bond.”
VITAS has a program called the Wish Makers Program, designed to fulfill meaningful wishes for hospice patients. “When my social worker Elizabeth and I heard about it, we both immediately thought of Alan,” said Villabrera-Williams. “We weren’t sure if taking him to a game was realistic, but we wanted to try. Then Donna Borland, our general manager, came to a team meeting and said, ‘Let’s make this happen.'”
After the decision was made, preparations were put together in record time. “Once leadership gave the green light, everyone moved fast to make it happen. We had our team meeting on a Thursday, and by Saturday, we were at the game.”
Villabrera-Williams described what happened earlier that day, saying the facility held a pep rally before the game that included balloons, cake, and support from the VITAS Healthcare team. At the arena, Reddish was in awe, soaking in every bit of what was taking place. “His face was glowing. He sat quietly, enjoying the moment.”
Reddish got to sit in a skybox, where he was able to enjoy the full experience thanks to donated seats from a VITAS partner. The Panthers’ PR team contributed as well. They brought him signed hats, a bobblehead, a flag, and a throw cover, and he even got to try on the championship ring from the previous season’s Stanley Cup win. Unfortunately, the Panthers didn’t win the game that night against Seattle, but that didn’t dampen the evening for Reddish. Villabrera-Williams reported that he exclaimed, “You made my life.”
However, the story doesn’t end there. A few weeks after Reddish’s experience, the Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers to win their second consecutive Stanley Cup. Villabrera-Williams confirmed, “He was ecstatic. He called me right after the win to celebrate. Even now, he wears his Panthers gear daily. His room is decorated with memorabilia. He still talks about the players being kept (on the roster), upcoming trades, and the chance for a three-peat. He’s a fan through and through.”
Villabrera-Williams expressed her own feelings about the event: “This experience reminded me exactly why I do what I do. That night, Alan wasn’t just a patient, he was a star. And I can’t thank VITAS enough. This program changed his life, and mine too. I’ll always smile when I think about what we did for him, it’s a memory I’ll carry forever. It truly was one of the best nights of both of our lives.”
For more information, call 800-93-VITAS (800-938-4827) or visit www.VITAS.com.
