A minor-league hockey team in North Carolina went above and beyond this weekend so its biggest fan could continue watching his favorite team play.
The AHL's Charlotte Checkers, who relocated from Albany, N.Y., this season, held their fifth annual AutoTrader.com "Race Night" on Saturday so that 10-year-old Zach Bennett — who suffers from a rare genetic disorder — can soon move with his family to the Charlotte area.
Goalie Mike Murphy said the whole team was excited to have Bennett, who they affectionately refer to as "Bug," reunited with the team.
"He’s one of the guys, a teammate of ours, and gives everyone inspiration. You’ll never find him without a smile on his face,” Murphy said.
"Bug" and his family were flown to Charlotte for the game against the Manchester Monarchs. A jersey auction and a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will be used to help the Bennetts complete the move and cover medical expenses, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Bennett suffers from neurofibromatosis (NF1), a genetic degenerative disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves. He has had to undergo 21 surgeries
"When I heard Zach's story, it became not a question of how we would get the Bennetts to Charlotte, but when," Checkers owner Michael Kahn said in a team release.
"He battles for everything. He's never given up. We all can learn from him," Murphy added.
The Checkers are the minor-league affiliate of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes.
