It’s been over six years since the world first heard about the tragic bus crash in Saskatchewan that killed 16 Humboldt Broncos junior ice hockey team players, injuring 13 others, including Ryan Straschnitzki.
He can’t forget the initial crash, waking up from it, and not being able to move his legs. Just before, Straschnitzki had been getting ready for Game 5 that day, like it was any other game. While on The Mike Farwell Show to promote a six-part documentary series he’s the star of, Straschnitzki shared his experience that day and how it shaped his future.
“It’s something you come to terms with, it’s something that affected people across the world that day,” he said. “The community came together, the families came together. All the survivors keep in touch, and we’re just always there for each other.”
“You learn to appreciate what life you have right now,” he added.
The new series, called We Were Broncos, premiered May 26 on AMI TV and was created by Prairie Cat Productions. The producer, Lucas Frison, was close friends with Mark Cross, the assistant coach who died in the crash.
“Ryan’s journey was always something I followed from afar and when he switched sports to wheelchair basketball after getting cut from the National Sledge Hockey team, it immediately felt like a compelling story that people would want to follow,” Frison said. “The perseverance and determination Ryan shows in both life and adaptive sport is motivation that can be applied to anyone’s journey. When you come to a roadblock, find a new path and keep moving forward.”
After being cut from the National Sledge Hockey team Straschnitzki knew he wasn’t ready to sit on the bench just yet. Feeling motivated, he turned his sights towards a different game, Wheelchair Basketball, with the goal of getting to the Paralympics.
“I was always taught that when one door closes, there’s always another open door,” he said. “I just had all this energy and this drive to want to prove to myself and to prove to others that no matter the situation you’re in, you’re more than capable of achieving your goals.”
Straschnitzki added that he’s feeling good these days, speaking at conferences currently and thankful for the life he has since the crash.
“The more I talk about it, whether it’s radio or during one of my keynote speeches, it’s therapeutic in a sense. You talk more about it, and it holds less weight.”
As he pushes hard to compete in wheelchair basketball for the next Paralympic Games, Straschnitzki said it will only happen if he really works for it.
