A powerful act of kindness

Submitted by Rachel Hensen

MOOSE CREE FIRST NATION— You might think this is a story about hockey or hockey cards or Ethan Bear or perhaps Ethan Bear hockey cards, but the story I am going to share with you is a story about an act of kindness and a shared middle name that changed three strangers’ lives for the better during a global pandemic and just happened to involve Ethan Bear hockey cards.

For many Canadians, the game of hockey has become deeply intertwined with their Canadian identity. But true hockey fans, they collect. They collect cards, jerseys and other memorabilia of their favourite team, favourite players. Like hockey scouts, they patiently wait, watch and negotiate for that perfect piece that will make their personal collection a step above the rest.

Go back to 2018. Kris Morrison, a member of the Moose Cree First Nation, was attending Trent University where he was completing his Masters in Sustainability Studies with a focus on Indigenous Men’s identities while also fulfilling his role as father and husband. If that weren’t enough, Kris, inspired by his research findings, decided to create a grassroots business; a business that creates brave spaces for Indigenous Men, an Indigenous Mens Alliance, the IMA.

Needing an outlet from all of the demands above, Kris joined an Ethan Bear Facebook Group where he watched members, one in particular, piece together their own one-of-a-kind Ethan Bear Personal Collection (PC). Late one evening, a few weeks ago, that particular member, posted on the Ethan Bear Facebook Page that he was selling his personal collection due to health issues. Instinctively, Kris wanted to buy the collection – it had a one-of-one card in it but that instinct was quickly replaced by intrigue and concern as Kris reflected on how much this set meant to this member and the years he had spent patiently collecting it.  Not wanting this member to lose his personal collection, Kris offered the member $2,000, no strings attached, in order for him to keep his collection of Ethan Bear cards. At first, the member did not understand what Kris was saying. Kris restated that he wanted to give him $2,000 in order for him to keep his personal collection of Ethan Bear, hoping that the amount would take him far enough so that he wouldn’t have to sell his collection. Understanding what was being offered, the member responded with, “That’s the kindest offer anyone has ever given me,” but ultimately he had to decline.

Recognizing the kind spirit of the man who had just offered him, a stranger, $2,000, the member shared his story with Kris. A tumour had been found in his sinuses in December, a tumour that required surgery, two months off of work, his wife taking a leave of absence from work to care for him and their young daughter, while also trying to meet the relentless demands of monthly bills during a pandemic. During those two months, the member and his wife had to dip into their savings, savings that they had been putting aside in order to put a down payment on the home that they were currently renting. Down on himself and blaming himself that his family would not be able to come up with the down payment for their home because of his illness, the member decided to sell his Ethan Bear collection so that he could provide his family with the home they had been saving for which in turn would allow the people they were renting from to buy their dream home. Inspired by this member’s story and his desire to provide for his family, Kris offered to buy the set from the member and told him to take the weekend to think about it, to make sure that this was what he really wanted to do. Over the course of the weekend, both men crept each other’s Facebook pages trying to get a better sense of who they were dealing with. Was this real? Is this guy as nice as he seems? Was this guy really sick?

Fast forward to Tuesday night and a late-night phone call across provinces and time zones that spans four hours, the member was sure he wanted to sell the set and provide his family with the home that they had been saving for – there is nothing more important than family. Ensuring that the member would still be able to come up with the balance of the down payment from Kris’ purchase offer, Kris confirmed that he would indeed buy the set, offering to sell him back the set for the original purchase price when/if he was interested. Reaffirming that Kris was doing the right thing was that the member’s daughter and Kris’ eldest daughter shared the same middle name. The member responded that this was the best news he had heard in a long time and responded to his wife who had been texting throughout the four hours that the deal was going to happen. Perhaps still wary of the offer, the member asked Kris why he would offer to sell back the cards. Kris responded that the value was in helping him get his home, the Ethan Bear cards just happen to have thousands of dollars attached to them.

The next morning, Kris woke up his wife by stating, “I helped him buy a house.” Proud of her husband, she knew she had to share his story with others to inspire them, to uplift them, to show them kindness still exists and to encourage men to come together to help one another, to be brave. Caught up in the excitement of what he was about to do for this man and his family, Kris called the member to get his banking information, forgetting the time zone difference. Still groggy from the late-night conversation, the member told Kris he would call him back once he had found it. Shortly after, the member called back. Equipped with the information, Kris went to the bank, obtained a cashier’s check – and while the purchase price of the Ethan Bear collection is insignificant, his hockey number played a symbolic role in the price for these two strangers – and had it deposited into the man’s account. Two weeks later, a box arrived, solidifying a deal amongst strangers that changed each of their lives for the better.

So while this is a story about hockey and hockey cards and Ethan Bear, it is also a story about kindness, the ripple effect it creates, and the internal reward of knowing you made a difference for someone.