Young Toronto Maple Leafs fan goes on the trip of a lifetime with Air Canada Fan Flight

For those who were travelling through Pearson Airport on a Wednesday afternoon in February, they might’ve been a little bit stunned to see Toronto Maple Leafs alumni Darcy Tucker yelling at the top of his lungs. “Chadd! Chadd! Over here!” Tucker belted out, causing several passersby to tilt their heads to see what exactly the commotion was.

Chadd in this case was not a teammate Tucker was asking for a pass from, but rather 17-year-old Chadd Stoppa, this year’s Toronto recipient of an Air Canada Fan Flight, a program that sends deserving NHL fans selected through the Air Canada Foundation around North America to see their favourite teams in action. 

While the program has been in place since 2015, this was the first year that Air Canada chose to select the recipients solely through the Air Canada Foundation.

The Air Canada Foundation aims to improve the health and well-being of children and youth, fosters hope for kids facing adversity and encourages them to spread their wings, making it a perfect partner for Air Canada Fan Flight.

Greeted by Tucker, representatives from Air Canada and a seemingly endless row of news cameras and journalists, Chadd, his parents Anita and Adam, and younger brother Eli, found themselves on the way to Seattle, where they would get the chance to see the Leafs take on the Kraken.

“I couldn’t figure out what was happening, I was shocked,” Chadd told Daily Hive of the surprise of seeing Tucker greeting him with a massive boarding pass.

Chadd and Eli show off their new signed Darcy Tucker jersey.

The Stoppa family is pretty used to travelling for hockey, but it’s usually long drives across Ontario when their two sons are in action. Chadd is a member of the Ontario sledge hockey team, while also playing for the Elmvale Bears club team near Barrie. Born with spina bifida (a condition that affects spinal cord growth) and hydrocephalus (an excess of fluid on the brain), Chadd uses a wheelchair to get around each day but finds himself most at peace when he’s on the ice on his sled, as he’s been playing for 13 years. ”

Sledge hockey’s been amazing to me. I always wanted to play hockey, but I couldn’t obviously. It’s been awesome,” Chadd said.

The Stoppa family check out their boarding passes to Seattle.

Getting picked up by a driver in their hometown of Barry’s Bay, Ontario  — near Algonquin Park, and about four hours from Toronto — the Stoppas began a journey they wouldn’t soon forget. While their parents knew of the trip’s details — three nights in Seattle, capped off by the Leafs game, a trip to morning skate, and a meeting with head coach Craig Berube — Eli and Chadd were left in the dark, only knowing they were going on a trip but unsure of the destination.

“It was very hard not to tell him, watching every single Maple Leafs game on TV, just waiting to get to [Seattle]… Chadd loves hockey, and he loves his Toronto Maple Leafs,” Adam said. 

Chadd Stoppa meets Leafs coach Craig Berube.

Ahead of morning skate, Berube took the time to chat with Chadd and his family and was impressed to learn of Chadd’s sledge hockey experience. Chadd and his family posed proudly with Berube for photos, showing off a fresh set of Leafs jerseys.

“I can’t believe how much support we get on the road, for one,” Berube told Offside. “I’m blown away by that. I love the city, I really do. It’s a great honour for me to be able to coach the team.” After the shock of winning the trip wore down, Chadd said he was thrilled to get a chance to see his favourite team in person on the road.

“I’ve been watching the Leafs ever since I started watching hockey. It’s always been the Leafs, and it’s always going to be,” he said. And with the Leafs winning 3-1 on the night, the whole Stoppa family went home happy from a trip they’ll never be able to forget.

Air Canada Fan Flight strives to make dreams come true for Canadian hockey fans by giving them an opportunity to see their favourite team on the road.

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The author of this story was hosted in Seattle by Air Canada and the Air Canada Fan Flight program.