Jack Hughes, Devils honor 13-year-old for Hockey Fights Cancer Night

NEWARK, N.J. -- Charlie Shomers was a bit starstruck as the guest of honor on Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Prudential Center on Saturday when Jack Hughes strolled into the locker room to talk New Jersey Devils hockey.

His eyes lit up when the Devils center began asking him about his visit and plans on what was a very special night.

"This is amazing," Shomers said, sitting at his personal locker stall while gazing at his embroidered No. 23 "Shomers" jersey signed by Hughes. "This is my second Devils jersey, but first one with the number on the back."

Hughes asked Charlie several questions prior to New Jersey's 7-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres, including if the Devils were his favorite team and how many games he's attended. He told him the Devils were his No. 1 team and that this was his second game.

"I'm looking forward to the Devils getting a win, too," said Charlie, who was joined by his mother (Stephanie), father (Ryan) and sister (Anna) during his meet-and-greet with Hughes, his favorite Devils player.

"This was the first time I got to see Jack Hughes play live," Charlie said with a grin.

The 13-year-old from Hillsborough, New Jersey, was diagnosed with ependymoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in July. The discovery was made after Charlie had three isolated headaches that woke him up and made him sick. A MRI revealed a tumor, described by his father as the size of a baseball, compressing against his brain that needed to be removed immediately.

He had successful surgery in July and had 33 radiation treatments from Aug. 16 through Oct. 16, going five days a week at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

"He's been an absolute warrior through all of it," Stephanie said. "I mean, at first, none of us really knew what was going on. It was shocking because you don't expect somebody to say to you, 'Your child has a tumor in his head, and it has to be removed this weekend.'"

Ryan Shomers said he's been overwhelmed by all the support of family, friends and the community.

"I've had strangers call me up and say, 'We've heard about Charlie and we're doing a fundraiser for him,'" Ryan said. "The Hillsborough PBA did a fundraiser for him, and just the outreach from the Devils and the NHL to actually sponsor these (Hockey Fights Cancer nights) and support the families that are going through this to give them something to look forward to.

"It's something to be happy about and celebrate during such a horrible traumatic time in someone's experience and in their life, especially for such a young kid to have to go through it."

Charlie's gameday experience prior to the Devils hosting the Sabres also included a one-day contract signed by Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald. He watched New Jersey's warmups from the penalty box, joined the team for the lineup read in the locker room and even played a part by announcing Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek as the starter.

Charlie also participated in a ceremonial puck drop and rode the Zamboni during the second intermission.

While the cancer is in remission, Charlie will need to go for post-radiation scans once every three months. The first of those appointments will take place Monday.

Dr. Rahul Parikh, the medical director of the Laurie Proton Therapy Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has served as Charlie's radiation therapist. He also attended the game Saturday and was honored as the Hero of the Game.

Charlie was asked if he had a message for any young person dealing with some form of cancer.

"They should stay strong and pray that they're going to get through it," he said.