The Edmonton Oilers and their fans hosted a sprawling, somber memorial in celebrationg of the life of Ben Stelter, the legendary superfan who died at age 6 earlier this month .
Stelter, known for his incredibly cute fan videos where he shouted "Play La Bamba, baby!" after Oilers victories, was diagnosed with gioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, in March 2021. All through the playoffs, Stelter's videos lit up social media. When the Oilers hosted him for a game, he befriended captain Connor McDavid and became a huge fan favorite at Rogers Place.
On Friday, fans gathered lining the streets outside the arena, which was lit up with a message that read: "Ben Stelter, forever in our hearts. Play La Bamba, baby!" Fans brought signs and held up placards with Stelter's picture that said "We miss you," and "Rest easy Ben." Edmonton fire and rescue raised its ladder and a full police escort led a slow roll of cars in tribute to Stelter.
