Concussion awareness and the potential long-term effects of the head injury were front and centre at Monday’s NOJHL game between Hearst and Timmins.
“Heads Up” is an initiative of the Porcupine Health Unit, in conjunction with the Seguin family. Ryan Seguin was 24 when he died. His younger brother Derek – a former Timmins Rock captain – is playing pro in the Netherlands. He says Ryan is still his idol, and no one ever says a bad thing about him. Derek gladly looks up to him.
“Maybe not in the hockey department,” he points out “That’s the one place I got him.”
Ryan Seguin played Midget hockey and suffered several concussions.
“Once you get one,” Derek explains, “you’re kind of more susceptible to get others and had suffered quite a few after he was done playing hockey as well, just kind of, you know, life, accidents and stuff like that.”
Ryan went on to medical school and formed the Timmins Concussion Coalition with doctors and others dedicated to sports injury prevention.
He also participated in helmet studies with CCM.
Derek says Ryan would stage events similar to “Heads Up”.
“He would go to ringette tournaments, hockey tournaments, events like that in Ottawa and in Timmins and he would just talk to people about concussions, their symptoms and just kind of bringing awareness to it.”
Ryan was a medical student in Ottawa. Derek is proud that here or not, his brother continues to make a difference to people who were around him.
Our full, heartfelt interview with Derek Seguin is in audio form below.
