Pediatric cancer hero has quickly made friends with the Blue Jackets

Riley Salett is a lover of many things. For example, the 8-year-old loves Stinger, eating arena popcorn, watching No. 44 on the Blue Jackets and, most of all, people.  

After Riley was diagnosed with a stage III Wilms tumor on July 6, 2022, Riley’s mother Felicia Salett questioned why her energetic, bubbly daughter had to deal with such a setback at a young age. 

“I don’t think this kid is ever in a bad mood,” Felicia said. “She is just a breath of fresh air, is how I would describe her. If you’re having a bad day, she just wants to hug you, she wants to love on you.” 

A Wilms tumor is a rare kidney cancer that mainly affects children. For Riley, it meant she had a 15-centimeter tumor coming from her kidney that was covering her left side. After surgery to remove the tumor, the doctors ended up having to remove one of her kidneys, so now Riley lives with only one.

Afterward, Riley spent more days than not at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where she received treatment for around eight months. She had to be on an aggressive treatment plan that required her to come in five days a week for chemotherapy.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt more helpless as a mother in my entire life than I did going through chemotherapy with her,” Felicia said.  

During this time, Felicia implemented a new tradition for Riley on the days when she went in for treatment.

“Every time we went to chemo, she would be so upset because she knew what was coming, so we would do these TikTok turn up sessions,” Felicia said. “Every day before chemo we would do a TikTok dance, she would get me into it, and these videos went viral. It would lift her spirits.” 

Felicia and Riley would do various dance challenges and post them for the fans they garnered, with many of the videos drawing tens of thousands of views when posted on TikTok. They continued the tradition until Riley was able to ring her remission bell on March 1 of this year, but like many families who have dealt with cancer know, the struggles don’t end when the bell is rung.

Riley Salett celebrates after entering remission following treatment for a stage III Wilms tumor. PHOTO COURTESY OF FELICIA SALETT

Riley had been out of school and kept mostly in quarantine during her treatment because of her weakened immune system. She was even separated from her brother, Larenz, for much of the time she spent in the hospital.

“After her surgery we couldn't get her out of bed,” Felicia said. “They kept saying, she must get up walking for her muscles. The moment he came into her room, she got out of bed and started playing. She needed her brother.” 

Their family is so close that her brother and mother both shaved their heads with her. Felicia said some of their friends even joined in and shaved their heads as well. Their goal was to let Riley know that she is not alone in this fight.  

It's been about eight months since Riley rang her remission bell, and now she is one of seven Columbus Blue Jackets pediatric cancer heroes this season honored at the team’s Hockey Fights Cancer game last week.

Earlier this month, she was invited in for the annual Flashes of Hope photoshoot with players, which included interviews with media and activities with the other heroes and CBJ players. Riley’s personality was perfectly displayed in the photoshoot and interviews.

“I feel like I have the strongest kid ever,” Felicia said. “This bubbly personality that you see, she had it when she was diagnosed, she had it through chemotherapy, she had it through her operations, and she had it through radiation.” 

The Blue Jackets players and staff quickly have fallen in love with Riley's infectious personality. At the Flashes of Hope shoot, Riley met defenseman Erik Gudbranson and quickly decided No. 44 would be her favorite player. The two colored together and made friendship bracelets, and Riley was beyond excited to cheer for him during the Hockey Fights Cancer game last Thursday against Arizona. When rookie star Adam Fantilli asked Riley who her favorite player is, she had a quick answer.

“44!” she said, drawing laughs from Fantilli.

Riley Salett quickly made friends with the Lady Jackets and defenseman Erik Gudbranson during the Flashes of Hope photo shoot earlier this month.

The heroes got their own party tower to play together and watch the game. They were able to meet the referees before the game, watch warmups at the glass, hang out with Stinger and the Lady Jackets, and go on the ice to be honored at the beginning of the game after giving high-fives to the players heading to the bench. 

This was especially exciting for Riley and the Salett family because this was their first-ever hockey game.

“I’m a hockey fan now, let's start with that,” Felicia said. “Everyone is so welcoming, everybody’s so loving. I’ve heard from players, players' wives, news crews, Blue Jackets crew members, it's been amazing.

“Every time you hear about cancer, you associate it with something bad. Sickness, death, chemo, it's bad. But the Blue Jackets have literally taken the cancer and turned it into something positive. I’ve been having the time of my life this week. I am loving the Blue Jackets.”  

Felicia said how important being recognized as a pediatric cancer hero is for Riley.

“It’s not been easy,” she said. “But when stuff like this happens, it makes it a little bit easier. It really helps. Because people think now that she's in remission it's over and it's just done, but they don't understand that we have a whole journey. We’re still battling.” 

Riley still gets scans every three months to make sure her cancer hasn’t returned. She has also slowly been trying to get reacclimated to her regular life. She is a dancer, and she has been able to return to her dance classes rather than posting only short dancing videos online. She is still trying to catch up on everything she missed while in treatment because life doesn’t pause when you get diagnosed with cancer.  

“Our saying was you wipe my tears, I’ll wipe yours,” Felicia said. “Because every time they would tell me something, it would break me down crying, and then when I would explain it to her and it would break her down crying, which would then make me cry again.” 

Felicia said Riley’s battle has brought the family even closer together and has made her appreciate the incredible community she has backing them. Despite Riley only having been to Nationwide Arena a couple of times thus far, she has managed to touch every staff member, player and person she has come across.

“I am so happy that she brings joy to so many other people and that her personality is so contagious," Felicia said.