(Roberval) Three kilometers of streets crowded with thousands of supporters – so much that it was difficult to clear a path. Colorado Avalanche jerseys as far as the eye can see. Screams, lots of screams. And smiles, lots of smiles. All that, for one person: the “little guy from Roberval”.
Posted at 9:01 p.m.
This is the scene we were treated to, Sunday afternoon, under a blazing sun in Roberval. It would be an understatement to say that it was a holiday in the small municipality located southwest of Lac Saint-Jean. To believe that all the residents, without exception, had made an appointment to welcome Samuel Girard and the Stanley Cup as a hero.
It was expected that the defender would first appear in a small street at the entrance to the city, where 150 young hockey players were waiting for him, almost all dressed in a jersey identified as “Girard”. Some were even made up. Several had prepared placards. You could also see fake Stanley Cups.
“It’s turbulent in my heart. It’s going to be fun, ”said Vincent Collin, 12, an hour before the arrival of the hockey player. “I don’t know a lot of things about Samuel, but I know he’s a Robervalois and that we all support him here. »
PHOTO KATHERINE HARVEY-PINARD, THE PRESS
From left to right: Yoshtin Siméon, Mathieu Perron, Jean-Samuel Lapierre, Vincent Collin, Luca Larouche and Mason Siméon
The group exploded with joy around 3:15 p.m., when Girard appeared, the Stanley Cup at arm’s length. “Go, Sam, Go! Go, Sam, Go! shouted the children.
“It feels good to be with the family, the supporters. It feels really good. It was important for me to come. I’m happy to be in Roberval,” said the champion at The Press before boarding a boat attached to a truck. Boat where his parents, his brothers, his sister and several other members of his family were piled up.
And so began the parade, led and closed by fire engines. The group of young people followed behind. From the first corner, the crowd was heard. Everyone approached, wanted to touch even a piece of the big trophy.
On several occasions, Girard asked that the truck be immobilized. The first time to pick up his grandfather at the side of the road, who proudly lifted the cup. A second time to meet a young man with reduced mobility.
The parade, which was supposed to last 45 minutes, ended up stretching over two long hours. The music was playing at full head; people shouted, danced, sang until the truck arrived at the Marina de Roberval around 5:15 p.m. Hundreds more people were waiting for it and welcomed the hockey player and his family in due form .
family pride
While her son presented the Stanley Cup to the crowd, Guylaine Dion met The Pressher face reddened after two full hours in the blazing sun.
“When we saw all the people who were in the streets to welcome Samuel, it was just happiness”, first hinted at the mother, emotional.
” This is a dream. It’s the dream of a child who always wanted to win. We are so proud of him,” she continued, wiping a tear from her cheek.
Mme Dion was present in Tampa Bay when the Avalanche defeated the Lightning on June 26. His son, injured in the sternum at the start of the playoffs, did not play in the final. But he joined his teammates on the ice when the dial announced the ultimate victory.
“When he lifted the cup, when he passed in front of us, I saw all his evolution in hockey, told Mme Dio. When he was pre-novice, when he couldn’t brake and he went into the boards, when his sweater was so big that it was almost a jacket… Those are great memories. »
The sacrifices of the Girard family have been recounted many times; Samuel’s older brother, Jérémy, had to give up playing midget AAA to allow Samuel to live his dream. The family could afford to pay for one registration, not two.
But Sunday, there was no question of sacrifices.
“It doesn’t matter who made the sacrifices – my brother, my sister, my parents – it was my little brother who won [la coupe Stanley], insisted Jeremy. He is the one who deserves it. The family worked for him. Yes, it’s the Girard family name on his back, but the fact remains that he’s worked so hard all his life to get there. »
We were very young and we used to play on the lake together. It doesn’t make sense to know that the cup is here.
Jeremy Girard, brother of Samuel
An inspiration
It’s not every day that the Stanley Cup comes to Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. To tell the truth, Girard is the first since Mario Tremblay in 1986 to bring it there.
All it takes is a stroll through the streets of Roberval to understand how influential the hockey player is. Even the restaurant at the Marina clearly shows its colors with a full wall filled with photos of the defenseman and frames in the colors of the Avalanche.
“He’s a little guy from Roberval!” From Roberval! It’s so beautiful! “Launched Carole Lavoie, who arrived with her friends three hours before the start of the parade.
According to Pierre-Luc Perron, member of the minor hockey board of directors, Girard is a model for all those young hockey players who dream of the big league.
“Sam is a hard worker,” he says. There are people who doubted him and he always silenced his detractors. Look where it’s at. We are very proud of him in minor hockey. Today is our way of saying thank you. »
“We will not hide it, there are not many elected officials in this, but it allows young people to dream. »
Marc-Olivier Tremblay, originally from Saint-Félicien, is the father of one of the young hockey players who was there from the beginning to the end of the parade.
“It’s like a sign of hope for all young people who dream of becoming professional hockey, regardless of the level,” he says. Getting there takes effort, courage, heart, work. At the size he has, he has shown that it is done, regardless of the conditions. »