Gourde, Lightning celebrate young fan with brain tumor as Thunder Kid

Yanni Gourde and the Tampa Bay Lightning made one young fan's dream come true.

Benjamin Roy, an 8-year-old from Beauce, Quebec who is battling a brain tumor, got to meet Gourde and serve as the Lightning's Thunder Kid at their game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Roy had written to Gourde asking to meet his fellow Quebec native, and he got the VIP treatment Saturday. Aside from welcoming the Lightning to the ice, Roy also sat with Gourde during interviews after the morning skate, then stood next to him during the national anthems before the game.
He even went home with a souvenir. Roy received the puck Gourde used to score his first-period goal, which also happened to be his 100th NHL point.
"It was very special to me, and a special night for him," Gourde said,

. "I'm going to talk to him and give him the puck I scored with because I told him if I scored, I would."
Roy's family even spent time with Gourde after the game. According to the Quebec-based
Beauce Media
, some of the Roys expenses were paid for through profits made from a hockey pool that was run in the fall.