To Snyders, Wolves part of their family

April 15, 2007|BY BOB VERDI.

Graham and LuAnn Snyder never will fill the void because parents aren't supposed to see a son die. But that in part explains why they are here this weekend to visit their extended family, the Chicago Wolves.

"Dan loved this city and this franchise," Graham was saying the other day. "He was on a championship team here, but it was more than that. The Wolves always do things first-class. They were that way with him when he played for them, and have been that way toward us since the accident."

Dan Snyder was a young prospect with the Atlanta Thrashers in September 2003, about to continue building his dream to play in the NHL. Then he was killed in a gruesome wreck, the car driven by teammate Dany Heatley. Authorities went after Heatley, who was so haunted, he asked out of town.

The Thrashers traded Heatley to Ottawa, where he's a star. He's lucky to be playing at all, but instead of pressing the issue, Graham and LuAnn opted to internalize their pain and forgive. They would honor a son's memory without litigation and vengeance.

"Certainly anger was one of the emotions my wife and I went through," Graham said. "But anger accomplishes nothing. With all due respect, I imagine the district attorney down in Atlanta might have wanted us to pursue the case. But if Dany Heatley goes to jail, if we get a few dollars out of it, what's the point? There has to be a better way."

Indeed, Graham and LuAnn took a different path, driving around to every NHL city this season to remind fans about their fallen son, and about the rink that's being constructed in his name back home in Elmira, Ontario. The target date is September 2008, five years after Dan's death.

For their efforts, the Snyders are closing in on $1 million, and it's no coincidence they wound up their tour here this weekend. Saturday night, Graham and LuAnn were to present defenseman Brian Sipotz with the Dan Snyder Award, an annual citation to a Wolves player who shows exemplary community involvement.

On Sunday afternoon, Graham and LuAnn will attend the Wolves' final regular-season game against the Omaha Knights. Then the Snyders will head for Canada while the Wolves prepare for the playoffs. (Yes, there are hockey playoffs in Chicago.)

Rest assured, given the track record of owner Don Levin, the Wolves will make sure Graham and LuAnn are treated like the special people they are.

"Dan wasn't in Chicago that long, but he enjoyed it so much because of the Wolves," Graham said. "They have a booster club. Well, since Dan died, we've had a golf tournament each summer at home to benefit his foundation. The boosters show up from Chicago, to do whatever they can, usually with a check in hand. In 2004, the year after it happened, the Wolves held a Dan Snyder Night. I'll say it again. First-class. The Wolves are first-class."

When Graham and LuAnn settle back into their home, they will watch Heatley and the Senators pursue the Stanley Cup. He was charged with vehicular homicide, put on probation, and he won't forget what happened that night either. On occasions when he communicates with the parents, Heatley knows they are talking from the heart.

"Not every day is a great day for us, and there is nothing we can say that will bring our son back," Graham said. "But we can take whatever positive steps are possible, and be thankful for people who care, like they care in Chicago."

Graham, LuAnn and the Wolves never will get over the loss of Dan Snyder. But at least they never will get over it together.