STH Tales: A Memorable Meeting

BostonBruins.com - Noreen Rizzo was not having the best of days.
The lifelong Bruins fan and longtime season ticket holder was working in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Outpatient Clinic at Mass. General Hospital, and on this particular afternoon in 2015 she decided to walk home to get her mind off of things.
"I had an absolutely horrible day at work and at home," said Rizzo. "Three Pedi Oncology patients had relapsed and my dad was in a nursing home and not doing well."
As she made her way back to Charlestown, Rizzo - a season ticket holder since 2008 - was a bit taken aback when she spotted Bruins alternate captain Patrice Bergeron and his wife, Stephanie, walking their dog, Wilson, in the distance.

Rizzo was initially hesitant to approach the couple, but ultimately decided she would stop and say hello after catching up to them by a park not far from TD Garden. It was a decision she does not regret.
"Patrice and his wife were very gracious and friendly," said Rizzo, whose seats are located in Section 326. "I had heard many stories about Patrice from patients who had been invited to [his] Patrice's Pals [suite] and had myself witnessed his interactions with patients when he had come for a holiday visit to the clinic to distribute holiday gifts. I knew he would be genuinely kind if I stopped to speak with him."
Rizzo wasn't wrong. After a brief chat, she asked for a selfie, before Stephanie Bergeron stepped in and offered to take the photo for her, providing Rizzo with a memory that she will never forget.
"Later that night my dad passed away, but the memory of how nice the Bergerons were to me makes the memory of that day just a little bit better," said Rizzo. "I've been a Bruins fan for almost 40 years and have always rooted for them through winning and losing seasons. Having worked in Pedi Oncology for 12 years I'd had the opportunity to see a number of different players interacting with not only the patients and their families but with some of the staff as well.
"They were always kind, made time for pictures and conversations and had plenty of smiles. Having seen some of the players interact with children going through chemotherapy and radiation has certainly given me an appreciation for the type of people who are members of the Bruins organization."
Her firsthand interaction with Bergeron only reinforced that appreciation.
"I think it says more about the type of people who play for the Bruins organization than anything else," said Rizzo. "I'm just someone who was not having a great day who was able to stop and say hi and have my picture taken with a man who I respect as a person and a hockey player.
"Even though the interaction meant more to me than it did to Patrice, he and his wife were still friendly and kind. That alone is a memory I always think of every year on that day."