The concept of the Cinderella story doesn’t usually include something so horrific as a deadly mass shooting.
But that’s part of what makes the Blackstone Valley Co-op team so inspiring.
“Your courage and teamwork inspires us all,” Gov. Dan McKee told the team, at a special commemoration at the Rhode Island capitol on Tuesday.
“You are an inspiration to all Rhode Islanders and truly embody the motto of our state: Hope,” McKee said.
The Blackstone Valley Co-op team survived a horrific mass shooting at one of their games earlier this year.
On Feb. 16, the father of defenseman Colin Dorgan pulled out a gun and murdered Dorgan’s mother, brother and grandfather before committing suicide.
Dorgan and his sister Ava were the only members of their immediate family to survive.
“They are the most amazing young adults that I have ever met in my life,” head coach Chris Librizzi told the gathering at the Statehouse.
“They are the strongest kids I have ever met in my life. From the day after I met with them, to now, to today. They will stay in our lives, in our hockey family’s lives, forever,” he said.
Weeks after the shooting, the team went on to secure a spot in the state’s Division II championship game, with Dorgan himself scoring the winning goal on a breakaway in overtime.
At the championship game, Dorgan scored the tying goal with minutes on the clock, sending the game into overtime.
“Our son is on the team,” said Ryan Corderi, who helped wrestle the shooter to the ground that day in Pawtucket, preventing further bloodshed.
He said he watched that championship with 12 other family members who were in the stands the day of the shooting.
“I almost threw up twice, it was so suspenseful.” he said.
Blackstone Valley finally won the championship in quadruple overtime.
“From tragedy to triumph in one month! It’s an amazing story,” said Robert Rattenni, another of the Good Samaritans.
As Gov. McKee put it, “Your courage and teamwork inspires us all.”
“Sports builds character,” he said, recalling his own days as a baseball coach. “The teamwork you’ve learned will be with you for a lifetime.”
