Every season ticket holder for the Vegas Golden Knights was given a free jersey as show gratitude for being one of the first group ever to support Las Vegas’ first major professional franchise. With the jersey came a box that had in it commemorative tickets, a Golden Knights pin, and a scarf. On the inside of the box and on the back of a ticket is a quote.
A knight is the epitome of the warrior class. Knights protect those who cannot protect themselves. As Vegas Golden Knights, we never give up, never give in, always advance. There is no substitute for victory. -The Creator
It happened nine days before the first regular season home game for the Vegas Golden Knights. The worst mass shooting in modern United States history and it took place across the street from the home of a team that will become the first ever to represent our great city.
Never before has this city needed knights quite like it does now. Never before have the words “never give up, never give in” meant more to Las Vegas than they do right now.
Yesterday, a group of hockey players who came from 20+ different places to form a team less than a month ago, spent much of the day together visiting first responders, families of victims, blood donors, and volunteers helping to pick up the pieces after Sunday’s horrific events.
Yesterday, they were just Golden Knights by name, today they are actual, real-life Golden Knights. Bringing joy to places where it’s not easy to come by.
Sports have the ability to be a great healer for a city. Countless times after tragedy sporting events have brought together communities to rally for the same thing. The Golden Knights will go out and compete on Friday in Dallas and more importantly Tuesday here in Vegas with the belief that they are playing for every single person who calls Las Vegas home. They’ll play in front of 17,000+ people all with heavy hearts.
Normally I find quotes like that one to be overdone, forced, and in many ways meaningless. It’s a group of people playing an insignificant game after all. But here we are, in need of those who can “protect us.” Who will not let one heinous act ruin our great city. Who will always help us “advance.”
Here are the Vegas Golden Knights. Our Golden Knights, who have the ability to bring the city together to rally for something bigger than a hockey game.
***Click through for pictures of the team’s community appearances.***
The Golden Knights visited Metro Police Department’s headquarters in the early afternoon, then the Las Vegas Convention Center to meet with families of victims, followed by United Blood Services to see blood donors. Media was invited to the first and last gatherings.
Fleury and Merrill converting fans young. Took him a minute to come around but young Jack is fully on board now. pic.twitter.com/rXQQBoDJzv
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 3, 2017
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 3, 2017
R.J. Smith
Good of VGK to get out and about to help the city start to heal. The team will be thought of as true “Knights” in this city’s time of need.
A Fan
Two of our young firemen sit right next to me at T-Mobile. One of them was one of the first unit responders to the shooting scene. He text me when I checked in with him to make sure he was safe, he said, “definitely can’t explain the carnage I witnessed.” Hopefully a season of Knights games will help him though this terrible situation. Thank you to all of the responders.