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<\/p>\nJohn and Christina Mayich have two requests.\u00a0<\/p>\n
First, they want the world to learn more about their son, Matthew.<\/p>\n
\u201cMatthew is a boy’s boy,\u201d Christina said. \u201cHe\u2019s a guy’s guy. He is a simple, simple guy who has an infectious smile. Anybody you talk to will tell you about his smile. He loves to fish. He fishes almost every day, every chance he can get. He loves his family. He likes to hang out at home. He doesn’t like to go out partying \u2026 he just likes to be with us. He loves his girlfriend, his siblings, funny guy, chirper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“And he, as a teammate, he obviously loves hockey. That\u2019s his world. He likes to stand up for his teammates. He has your back. I wish you got to meet him as the Matthew we all know and love.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe brings joy to a room, bottom line,\u201d John added, before Christina continued.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he’s away for hockey, our house is different. When he is there, there is so much, so much life, so much energy. He brings a different vibe to our home, to our family, and to the neighbourhood.\u201d<\/p>\n
Their second request is this: no matter where you are from or what faith you follow, you pray for their 21-year-old son.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matthew Mayich came to Arizona State last month, joining the Sun Devils after four seasons with OHL Ottawa and another at NCAA Clarkson. Days after his arrival, on Aug. 20th, Mayich collapsed during an outdoor workout and has been hospitalized since. The university is reviewing the circumstances, and a spokesman emailed Wednesday that \u201cwe expect to be able to update everyone on our review process in the coming days.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve been told there was a workout scheduled for early (that day), and I guess it was hot, and the conditions weren’t good for working out,\u201d John said. \u201c(Matthew) basically got heat stroke. (It) had nothing to do with his heart. He came in shape. He was 100 per cent ready to go this season. He worked all summer, and he was ready.<\/p>\n
“And I guess just the heat \u2026 just snowballed from there. He ended up collapsing and is still in a coma. Considering the situation, I think we’re somewhat strong in just trying to push through. We’ve got no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
What have doctors told the family about the prognosis?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re taking it day by day,\u201d Christina answered. \u201cWe’re here praying hard, praying to our Lord for a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe’s a fighter,\u201d added John. \u201cSo we know that, and we’re giving him every chance to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n
John and Christina have a strong support group in Arizona, including daughter Stephanie and son Josh \u2014 two and three years younger than their brother, respectively \u2014 and Matthew\u2019s girlfriend of four years, Alexa. But what\u2019s really helped in immeasurable ways is support from the most unexpected places, including priests who reached out from Kenya.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere’s so many countries that we were very shocked to hear,\u201d Christina said. \u201cMatthew is a simple boy from Stoney Creek, Ont., and we don’t know how he made it that far that people are praying for him. It’s just proof that there’s a lot of great people out there. We\u2019ve seen a different side of humanity that we would have never seen if we didn’t go through this.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mayich family is hugely thankful to the doctors, nurses and hospital staff; Anthony Houston, who oversees eight Arizona hospitals, making sure Matthew received proper care. They were embraced by the local Lebanese community after the family visited one of their churches to pray to St. Charbel, a Lebanese-born monk revered for his powers of healing.<\/p>\n
Among many from the hockey community: Utah coach Andre Tourigny, who scouted Matthew back when he coached the Ottawa 67’s, Auston Matthews, Clayton Keller and the Xhekaj family. John and Jack Xhekaj \u2014 Arber and Florian\u2019s father \u2014 have a long friendship.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we don\u2019t speak one Sunday, we\u2019ll speak the next,\u201d John laughed. \u201cWe never go more than two Sundays without talking.\u201d<\/p>\n
And the Thompson family, led by Kim, Tage\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n
\u201cKim set up a lovely vigil for Matthew that included his (Arizona State) teammates, their family, and anybody who wanted to come out and pray for Matthew, which was very lovely and means so much to us,\u201d Christina said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there was about 25, 26 current players and ex-players,\u201d John said. \u201cIt was very nice to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it was emotional seeing them,\u201d Christina continued. \u201cWhen you saw the team, it was like, \u2018Matthew, you should be sitting there with them right now. You shouldn’t be up here.\u2019 So it was tough, but it was also very warm, very … I can’t explain. It’s all in my heart, so I’m thankful to everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Mayich has a message for Matthew\u2019s Sun Devil teammates.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel for them. I don’t want them to feel guilty at all that this happened. They had to see some ugly stuff, and I just hope they can push through. I wish them nothing but the best.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
If his parents are most proud of one thing, it\u2019s that their son had an ability to make friends of all ages, from putting together a three-year-old neighbour\u2019s bicycle to helping Alexa\u2019s octogenarian grandfather with his garden tomatoes. John Mayich smiled reminiscing about Ring video of young kids from the neighbourhood asking Matthew to come out and play street hockey with them, a request rarely \u2014 if ever \u2014 refused.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was, just \u2026 he lived life,\u201d John said. \u201cThat\u2019s it. He really did live life and he didn’t judge anybody. Never.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thanks to old friends and newfound supporters worldwide, Matthew\u2019s hospital room is personalized with unique items.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFive of his friends flew down when they heard the news, and they bought him fishing paraphernalia,\u201d Christina said. \u201cWent to Bass Pro, just kind of decorated his room, which was very nice, surrounding him with the things that he loves.\u201d<\/p>\n
By his head there is a stone in a pouch. On his body, there\u2019s a small medallion, called the Miraculous Medal. Christina describes the Mayiches as devout Catholics; the Miraculous Medal reminds you to keep the faith, never lose your trust in the power of prayer.<\/p>\n
\u201cA man from England found us, and he had sent the package, which was the rock and a Miraculous Medal. When he sent it, (with) a picture of a Sister, I didn’t quite know who the Sister was. She’s an Irish nun who had just passed, and she’s on her way to being Canonized.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he took a chance, and he said, even if you don’t believe, there’s nothing to lose if you put this by Matthew’s head. So I did, because I was just so touched. And the next day I reached out to him, and he explained to me that he felt in his heart when he heard Matthew’s story that he needed to deliver this to us, to somehow find us. And he explained that he is disabled and doesn’t leave home often, but this time he did. And he said this rock and this medal were blessed from a place that is near and dear to us in Medjugorje.\u201d<\/p>\n
(Medjugorje is a famous Catholic pilgrimage destination. Located in Bosnia-Herzegovina, it has strong historical ties to the Croatian people, which is the Mayich family\u2019s heritage. For years, Matthew\u2019s smartphone screensaver is him in a Luka Modric jersey, the Croatian soccer legend.)<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was blessed by Our Lady, which to me meant the world,\u201d Christina continued. \u201cAnd I could not believe that was happening. And it was a sign that Mary, our mother, is with us. And she is leading us to her son and giving us that peace and calm. So, we thank you from the bottom of our heart that you found us all the way from England.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s just so many, so many people we’ve met along the way that have touched our hearts and that are showing us the goodness of humanity, and they all give us hope and faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeeing the support back home and all over the world, it’s like, unexplainable,\u201d added Josh, the younger brother. \u201cIt’s something I never imagined and it’s honestly a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christina carries a spiritual necklace she also places on Matthew\u2019s body during her visits.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the kids here with us all put their crosses on here,” she said. “His siblings\u2019 crosses are here, his cousin Vicky, her husband, Owen. And we also have a special gift from Matthew’s new best friend, Sister Betty, who I forgot to mention. She has been a godsend. She comes every day to visit her best friend, Matthew, and she prays for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe gave me one of her own personal relics. She was in a terrible car accident. And she said not one scratch came while she had this relic. And she wanted Matthew to have it. And she said Matthew is going to return it to her when he wakes up.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had so many people from different religions reaching out to us, letting us know that their groups are all praying for him. And I cannot tell you. It just takes our breath away. How many people are fighting for him. And we’re just thankful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems like it started on our street with the yellow ribbons and then just spread,\u201d John added. \u201cAnd that’s Matthew. That’s his personality. You meet him once. Someone wants to introduce him to someone else and it just spreads.”<\/p>\n
\u201cIt actually started in Canada in there’s an Instagram group,\u201d Christina added. \u201cIt’s called \u2018Yellow Ribbons for Matthew.\u2019 So people are tying yellow ribbons on their trees outside. And the kids are wearing yellow ribbons. And there was just a soccer tournament in Ottawa \u2026 they were honouring Matthew by wearing \u201cM.M\u201d (and the) number nine, his soccer number when he was little.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo this yellow ribbon has grown.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are three yellow ribbons on his hospital room window.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The family realized Matthew\u2019s hockey dreams had a chance to become reality when Tourigny, then head coach and vice-president of hockey operations for the OHL 67’s, started showing up to Matthew\u2019s games and practices.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are driving six, seven hours to just watch him skate for an hour,\u201d John said. \u201cSo to me, that’s pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christina: \u201cWe were excited for Matthew because he was excited.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Coyotes hired Tourigny away from Ottawa before Matthew played a game. Enter Dave Cameron, who also developed a strong relationship with the player and family.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI just remember dropping Matthew off the first time in Ottawa,\u201d John smiled. \u201cHe’s 16 years old so we’re driving up and we get to the house. It was COVID so you couldn’t meet the billet family who are super people. I just remember this red door. I’m getting Matthew’s stuff out of the car and he goes to the front porch and the door’s closed. I started putting the stuff away, like what was left over back in the trunk. I look, he already shut the door. He was in the house, ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, we met the billet family and they’re like, \u2018We’re new to this,\u2019\u201d Christina added while also smiling. \u201cAnd I’m like, \u2018So are we.\u2019 And we’re like, \u2018Okay, bye, Matthew.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
John added: \u201cBut he wanted to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Was he ever homesick or anything like that?\u00a0 Both parents immediately jump in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, he missed us,\u201d Christina continued. \u201cBut he was, you know, this is his job. This is his dream. And he loved it. And he loved all his billet families. He was very close with all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then came the lead-up to the 2023 NHL Draft. The calls were coming to Matthew\u2019s phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll sorts of teams were reaching out,\u201d John said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMatthew would go in a room and I’d be at the door listening to him talk to the teams,\u201d Christina laughed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
John grew up a Maple Leafs fan in the era of Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour, his favourite players.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think when the Leafs called him, it kind of … kind of hit home a bit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Christina: \u201cYeah, they called a couple of times.\u201d<\/p>\n
John continued:\u00a0\u201cAnd, you know, when they call, you’re just like, \u2018Wow. Like, how far (Matthew has) come with this sport. It’s unreal.\u201d<\/p>\n