A Letter to Liam

Liam Fitzgerald was born with Down syndrome in 2006. When he was three years old, doctors diagnosed him with leukemia that would require nearly four years of aggressive chemotherapy. Despite all that - whether he was hospitalized, recovering at home or cheering on the Boston Bruins at TD Garden, Liam always managed to wear the biggest smile in the room.
Today, Liam is cancer free and has been for more than seven years.
During Hockey Fights Cancer month, as we celebrate and raise awareness for those who have beaten, are fighting or have been lost to cancer, we wanted to tell Liam's story by sharing this letter from new Blues defenseman Torey Krug.

• • • • • • • • -
                Dear Liam,
                I saw

and I wanted you to know that it got me thinking about all the great times we've had together in Boston.
I remember the day you first went viral on social media. You were sitting on the bench giving all of us a fist bump and then Gregory Campbell fist bumped you so hard that he hurt your hand. I didn't know you very well back then, but that was when I first started to get to know you.
Watch: Youtube Video
Do you remember when my defense partner was Adam McQuaid? Well, one time after a game, Adam was going to go visit you and asked me to come along to meet his little buddy. After that day, I knew you would be one of the most special friends I would ever make in Boston. I remember how Adam told me that you looked up to us, but before the night was over, Adam and I looked up to you.
Do you remember that time we went bowling at Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz's charity event? After we bowled, we hung out and checked out a concert together. My brother was there, and he was more excited about getting a picture with the Fist Bump Kid than actually watching the show.

Do you remember at TD Garden how I would come out to the ice all intense all the time and ready for the game? As I walked by, you would always yell "I LOVE YOU, TOREY!" No matter how much I was focused on the big game, that always made me stop and smile.
I'm going to miss stuff like that in St. Louis.
To thank you for always being a good friend, and to celebrate the fact that you've been cancer free for more than seven years now, I'm sending you a gift in the mail. Keep an eye out for it because it should be arriving soon!

Anyway, I'm packing up and I'll be moving to the Midwest soon. I know Boston is a long way from St. Louis, but I want you to know that I'm not going to forget you just because I play for the Blues now. We may be further apart, but I'll always cherish the friendship we have.
I know you'll be cheering for me back there in Boston.
So before I go, I just wanted to say: I LOVE YOU, DUDE!