The memory of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos crash is being honoured in a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about organ donation.
Logan Boulet, a member of the Humboldt Broncos, lost his life in the crash that also claimed 15 of his teammates and friends a year ago.
A day after the crash, the young man gave the gift of life to six people who benefitted from his organs.
As a result, April 7 has become Green Shirt Day, a time dedicated to organ donation awareness and to inspire others to sign their donor cards.
Participants are also encouraged to wear green to support the initiative.
The summer before Boulet died, he told his father about his late mentor and fitness trainer Rick Suggit.
Suggit was an organ donor and his pledge helped save the lives of six people.
"He told me that he was going to sign his donor card in honour of Ric," his dad Toby Boulet recalled. "I said, 'That's awesome, but no one's going to want your organs when you're 80 years old.’”
After Boulet’s organ donation, officials say the act spurred a massive increase in the number of people who signed their organ donor cards, a result that’s been called the “Logan Boulet Effect.”
Statistics indicate that 90 percent of Canadians are in favour of organ donation but only 23 percent of the population have signed their own organ donation cards.
The City of Lethbridge has also approved plans to rename the Adams Park Ice Centre the Logan Boulet Arena in honour of the young player.
(With files from CTVNew.ca and The Canadian Press)
