THUNDER BAY – Carolina Hurricanes co-captain Jordan Staal and his wife, Heather Staal, have issued a statement of thanks in the wake of the death of their infant daughter Hannah last month.
“This has been a longer road than most people know,” the couple said in a release issued by the Carolina Hurricanes.
“Our little Hannah had a terminal birth defect. While we prayed for a miracle, or even a few more minutes with her, she came into this world stillborn. Nonetheless, we are still very thankful for our short time with her.”
The Thunder Bay couple issued thanks to everyone around them, saying they’ve been “absolutely amazed by the support we’ve received from our friends, family and the whole hockey community. We just wanted to say thank you.”
Team GM Ron Francis and coach Bill Peters have told Staal he can have as much time as needed before he returns to the Hurricanes lineup.
