Panthers honor Parkland shooting victims before game at Blues

Five years ago, Florida Panthers president and CEO Matt Caldwell and chief revenue officer Shawn Thornton told the families of the students and staff killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in nearby Parkland, Florida, that as long as they were with the Panthers, they would help ensure the victims were remembered.

Five years later, the Panthers continue to memorialize the 17 students and staff members, in ways big and small.
"We will always stay true to that," said Thornton, who lives in Parkland. "This organization will continue to be tied to this tragedy, supporting in any way we can."
On Tuesday, the five-year anniversary of the tragedy, the Panthers players entered Enterprise Center in St. Louis wearing MSD Strong shirts ahead of their game against the St. Louis Blues. The shirts have the names of every one of the victims on them.
"This tragedy happened in our backyards," Thornton said. "Families were season-ticket members. We're neighbors with people who lost children. When it happened, our ownership said, 'Dig in. Do whatever we need to do to support the community in the best way possible.' And that doesn't just stop happening a week after the tragedy. We're still in the community. We're still close to a lot of these families.
"Their children are never coming back. We never want to forget what happened."
They were given a reminder, yet again, the day before the anniversary, when three students were killed and five more badly wounded in a shooting at Michigan State University on Monday.
Not that the shooting in Parkland is ever very far from their minds.
Thornton remains in touch with a few of the families, texting weekly with Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter, Jaime, was killed in the massacre. Guttenberg has since become an activist against gun violence. Lori Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa died, lives across the street from Thornton. Families show up regularly for games at FLA Live Arena.
"I live in the community," Thornton said. "My daughters go to school in Parkland -- they're too young to go to MSD -- but everybody knows somebody who's affected by it. The tentacles of this reach into our organization and, more importantly, into the community in so many different ways that it has a lot of meaning to us."

With the Panthers on the road in St. Louis on the anniversary, the team wanted to make sure nothing was overlooked in remembering the Parkland victims. Where normally they might do an in-game ceremony, they have found other ways to recognize them.
An MSD Strong Panthers jersey and Marjory Stoneman Douglas hockey team jersey will be hanging in the visiting locker room at Enterprise Center. At FLA Live Arena, the Panthers home arena, there will be a display of all 17 victims' names outside by the building marquee and a moment of silence. There is also a permanent memorial at FLA Live Arena for all of the victims, where flowers will be placed Tuesday.
On the anniversary, Thornton and some Panthers staff members were planning to attend the City of Parkland Commemoration event to drop off flowers and handwritten notes from team staff members.
The Panthers also continue to support foundations that have resulted from the tragedy.
"We have listened and given back behind the scenes on whatever was needed, whether it be monetarily, in support, in memory of," Thornton said.
In January, the Panthers staff also participated in a Parkland Hearts Staff Volunteer project in The Fruitful Field, a community garden that focuses on modeling creative and sustainable use of land for hands-on learning opportunities. The Fruitful Field serves as a space dedicated to the 17 victims from Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
"There isn't a day that goes by that you aren't reminded in some way, shape or form in the Parkland community on what happened, about the tragedy," Thornton said.
Photo credit: Florida Panthers