Quesnel and Williams Lake residents of all ages were united in their grief this past weekend, as two teen athletes were remembered during a U18 hockey tournament in Williams Lake.
Hockey player Lane Wiggins, 17, and ball player Tayler Bennett, 17, Grade 12 students at Correlieu Secondary School, died in a single vehicle motor vehicle incident Sunday, Nov. 26 on the Barkerville Highway.
Hockey players from Quesnel, Smithers and Williams Lake paused Friday evening, Dec. 1, at Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex to honour Wiggins, whose team, Quesnel Thunder, were competing for the first time without him, an assistant captain for the team, at the tournament.
After their 4-4 tied game, Quesnel Thunder and Smithers Storm players remained on the ice for a short ceremony, joined by the Williams Lake Timberwolves, who wore orange jerseys.
“It is with heavy hearts we are gathered here tonight,” said Williams Lake First Nations Chief Willie Sellars as he welcomed the players. “It really signifies how small a hockey community is in our country and how important hockey is to health and wellness.”
Sellars said it was an honour to be there and welcome all the players.
“It is also an honour to be here on a night as significant as this when we are grieving, and we are in need of healing and coming together as one.”
Williams Lake Minor Hockey president Mike Rispin said he had the experience of coaching Lane’s older brother Kyle on one of his teams and working with Lane’s mother Shelley Wiggins. Both Shelley and Jason, Lane’s dad, grew up in Williams Lake.
Reading from a prepared statement, Rispin described Lane as a cherished member of the Quesnel Thunder hockey family.
“He started his career in Williams Lake and also did a short stint with 100 Mile minor hockey. Lane’s passion for hockey was only matched by his love for the great outdoors,” Rispin said, noting his zest for life was contagious - he loved mountain biking, fishing and hunting with his dad.
Rispin said he had wondered if Quesnel Thunder might not attend the tournament taking place in Williams Lake this due to the loss of Lane, but said his brother Kyle told him Lane would not want that.
“He would want the team to come here, play with passion and grit and take the gold home. I believe Lane will be in the building pushing the team to do that. His spirit will be here, he loved the rink.”
On behalf of the Wiggins family, Rispin said they were extremely grateful for everyone’s support. Because Lane played hockey in Quesnel, 100 Mile and Williams Lake, people from all over have reached out to the family and shared photographs and stories.
“We remember Lane not only for his prowess at the hockey rink, but for his joy and passion that he brought to every aspect of his life.”
Rispin asked for a moment of silence, followed by a moment of noise to raise the roof. He said he talked with Lane’s father Jason Wiggins and decided raising the roof would be something Lane would have done.
“Lane was never known for the way he was silent and he wouldn’t want us to be silent tonight.”
In response, there was a moment of silence and then the banging of hockey sticks, clapping, horn blowing, First Nations drumming, cheering and whistling - then more drumming and singing by members of Esk’etemc First Nation.
Lane’s father Jason, wearing Lane’s Quesnel Thunder jersey, stood beside Chief Sellars.
After the ceremony Jason hugged the drummers and then all of the Quesnel team and coaches.
During the game Friday evening, Lane and Tayler’s jerseys were displayed behind the bench, and Lane’s teammates had badges sewn onto their jerseys with his No. 9 and the nickname Wiggs displayed.
On Saturday, Dec. 2 hockey families from across the Cariboo packed the stands in Williams Lake again at the 9:45 a.m. game between Quesnel and Williams Lake U18 Tier 2 teams as a show of support for the boys playing, as well as the families.
Grieving teens displayed homemade posters at the game made in honour of Lane and Tayler.
“He lived life to the fullest,” said Ryder Jensen, when asked to described his former teammate.
“Never a dull moment. No matter who it is, they always had a good story about Lane.”
A GoFundMe has been set up for Lane’s family.
Note: for additional coverage of the tragic crash involving the Quesnel teenagers, see Page 1 and 12.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Two Quesnel youths die in crash