The title is cliché, but it is so true in this case. Ray Sawada was arguably the most talented player to ever have played for the Cowboys. Certainly, no other Cowboy players can say they scored a goal in the NHL! Ray did that in 2008 with the Dallas Stars at the height of his professional hockey career. Prior to that, he started his junior hockey with the Richmond Sockeyes and went on to play with the Naniamo Clippers and then University Hockey. He also played in the American Hockey League and UK's Elited Ice Hockey League before arriving back home in Richmond joining his friends on the Richmond Cowboys Hockey Club. That is where he played his last game.
But Ray was not just good on the ice, he made an impression everywhere he went. That was fully evident at his memorial service where hundreds of friends and relatives came to pay their respects. There were not enough seats available at St. Joseph The Worker's Church for all that came, and so they packed the gymnasium as well. But before you could get to the church or the gymnasium, you were profoundly reminded that Ray Sawada was also a respected Fire Fighter. Hundreds of his First Responder comrades lined the long driveway creating a solemn pathway to the church, a tribute that stirred the soul of all who came. There was no doubt that we have lost a quality man, far too soon.
Like so many, we are proud to say that we knew Ray, and were very fortunate to have him wear the Cowboy jersey. We just wish it could have been for longer. Ray only played a few seasons with the Cowboys, but he made an immediate and lasting impression - not just for his exceptional talent on the ice, but for his positive leadership and respectful attitude in and around the arena.
Ray was also the most physically fit player on the team and no one would have guessed what was going to happen in what would be the last game of the 2022-23 RIHL season.
We would have been less surprised if it happened on the bench of our over 60 team, but it was shocking and traumatic event when Ray's heart suddenly stopped beating just prior to a play-off shoot-out. Despite best efforts, including CPR by a friend and fellow fire fighter on the other teams, we suffered the greatest loss we could have ever imagined and the heart of the entire team was broken.
In the end, life is about memories. We create good ones and we sometimes experience bad ones. The trauma of Ray's passing will linger longer than we would like, but the memories that we were so fortunate to share with Ray will far out weigh the tragedy. He left us too soon, but with much good to remember him by.
On May 11th at our Annual Reverse Draw Fund Raiser for Charity, the younger Cowboy team honoured Ray by retiring his #12 jersey - a tribute usually earned only by veteran players, but Ray's outstanding character earned him the right to have his jersey raised with the highest honour.
It was hard for the guys to return to the rink again the next season without Ray. But if for a moment hockey seemed less important, we are reminded that the game meant a lot to Ray Sawada, so we will keep playing because he would want us to, and we will remember him as we do knowing that we are all better for the short time we spend with him.