Hockey for Haiti

NHL veteran Georges Laraque is working to help rebuild the earthquake-ravaged nation

BY: Duane Watson

On Jan. 12, a catastrophic earthquake that reached 7.0 on the Richter scale devastated the island of Haiti killing 200,000 and injuring an estimated 300,000. This incident brought Georges Laraque, a National Hockey League tough guy of Haitian descent to his knees faster than any hockey fight punch. Laraque was left trying to determine if members of his family were dead, missing or foraging for food on the streets of Port-au-Prince. Nine days later, with major aftershocks still ravaging the island, Laraque faced another punishing blow. The Montreal Canadiens brought the hardnosed enforcer's season to an abrupt end, releasing him with more than 30 games left to play.

"When the earthquake happened, there's nothing that could have made me feel worse," the Montreal native says. "How can I complain about anything when people are dying everyday? Getting cut was a blessing. I could do something good with this time, find a way to help the people down there and show my support."

Laraque is no stranger to giving back. He has made a point of engaging in the community throughout his career. Rallying in his charge for earthquake relief are the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) and the league itself. Each organization donated $100,000 to Laraque's project, Hockey for Haiti.

"After our research, myself and the NHLPA, associated with World Vision, wanted to build a hospital. The Grace hospital went down and we have ensured that all of the money raised is going to rebuild it." Laraque has not been to Haiti yet, but plans to go in less than a month with World Vision.

The rugged right-winger readily admits this is the toughest fight of his career. "If God would've told me, 'Georges, let's go back in time. We're going to sacrifice your career, you're going to have an everyday job, but I guarantee you that this tragedy doesn't happen.' I would do it in a heartbeat," he says emphatically.

"I've been playing in the NHL for 12 years, made all this money, lived this nice life in Canada, yet I'm complaining about the smallest things. When I see what's going on, I feel guilty. I feel useless. I feel like I should be down there. Every time I turn on CNN and see those images, I think how lucky I am. That's one of the hardest things, because I could have been there, like maybe it should have been me "

Always the fighter, Laraque also feels his hockey career is far from over. "There's no way that my last memory of the NHL is being released on Jan. 21," he says. "It's not how I am going to end my career, I still have a couple of good years left in me. I look forward to coming back and showing that I can be an impact player."

Yet, if he never takes the ice again, the impact he's made on Haiti and communities abroad is indelible.

An athlete's helping hand

If Wyclef Jean is Haiti's first son, NBA basketball player Samuel Dalembert is its second. Born in Port-au-Prince, and raised in Montreal, the centre for the Philadelphia 76ers has already skipped practices to return home since the quake. He even went back to Haiti during the NBA's all-star weekend.

Dalembert has personally pledged $375,000 to UNICEF and the Haitian government has agreed to lease him land to build a youth centre. The centre will host classrooms, a library, a computer lab and a cafeteria. It will also generate employment in the nation's capital.