More Than a Game: Detroit Red Wings Fulfill Dream for Young Fan with Heart Condition

Caption: Meet Luke Dejager, Detroit Red Wings Super Fan

While the Detroit Red Wings 2023/2024 season is over earlier than we all might like, there is one more win worth celebrating.

Like most kids his age, Luke Dejager cheers on his local sports teams, but that’s especially true for his most beloved team of all, the Red Wings. Luke, a 3rd grader and avid travel-hockey player, attended a Red Wings game late this season that he won’t soon forget. This wasn't just any game – it was an experience, made possible through collaboration between the Detroit Red Wings and Trinity Health, the team’s Official Health, Wellness and Nutrition Partner.

When Trinity Health and the Detroit Red Wings heard about Luke, and what a great kid he has been in the face of his health challenges, they wanted to come together and do something special for him and his family.

You see, Luke lives with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a disease in which his heart muscles are thicker than average, which makes the heart’s function of pumping blood more difficult. HCM is a common genetic cardiac disorder that affects roughly 1 in 500 people. For Luke though, it’s not just a statistic but a reality he and his family have learned to live with, with the support of C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Trinity Health Oakland. Not only is Mott Children’s Hospital home to one of only fourteen clinics nationwide that specialize in treatment of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, but through its joint operating agreement with Trinity Health Oakland, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital world-renowned pediatric specialists are treating young patients in the heart of Oakland County. This has been a game-changer for Luke who lives in West Bloomfield, just a short drive from the hospital, located along the Woodward Avenue corridor, in Pontiac, Mich.

On one special night inside Little Caesars Arena, Luke wasn't just a patient, he was the team’s VIP guest.

Luke’s night began with a fist-bump session. Alongside his proud parents, Dave and Monica, Luke stood just outside the players' locker room. His nervousness and anticipation shot through the roof when the door suddenly swung open, and out poured his sports heroes, mere feet from him, as they shuffled on their skates to the ice. One by one, as each player emerged, their eyes met Luke, the boy with the world’s biggest smile. Luke’s nervousness turned to joy as he exchanged fist bump after fist bump with each player.

As his excitement began to settle, the first period began. Luke and his family took their seats to watch the game, but the real magic was just beginning. Part way through the first period, a tap on the shoulder signaled Luke was needed. A member of the arena event staff led Luke through doors and winding hallways, down through a VIP passage. Suddenly, Luke heard an engine. It was the Red Wings Zamboni!

Luke's jaw dropped. Riding the Zamboni during the first intermission was a dream within a dream and Luke was loving every second of it! He climbed up into the passenger seat, and for the next five minutes Luke glided across the ice in front of a crowd of 20,000 screaming, roaring fans.

Caption: Trinity Health patient Luke Dejager rides the Red Wings Zamboni

Back in the stands for the second period, Luke watched the remainder of the game as a Red Wings super fan and was given a souvenir hockey stick from his favorite player, team Captain Dylan Larkin.

“We know having to attend medical appointments can be a real bummer for kids, especially one like Luke, who is so active and full of life,” said Clinton Cochran, MD, Luke’s Pediatric Cardiologist. “We are so happy he got to experience this night. I hope he knows how hard we are working for him and how much we all, as a community, support him and his family.”

A game is just a game. But in Luke’s case, the night was a celebration of his resilience and reminded even the most cynical among us, the importance of dreams in the life of a young person. Congratulations to Luke, our brave, young Red Wings super fan. The pediatric specialists at Trinity Health Oakland and C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital look forward to supporting him and his family in the months and years to come.