Community members and hockey fans gathered along the funeral procession route for six-year-old Ben Stelter Friday morning.
The young Oilers fan captured the heart of the city, team and hockey world during the NHL playoffs. Ben became a rallying point for the Oilers this past season as they advanced through the playoffs.
He died of an aggressive glioblastoma brain tumour on Aug. 9.
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Ben’s funeral will take place at Hope City Church in south Edmonton at 11:30 a.m., and his dad shared a livestream link where the celebration of life can be watched.
On Friday morning, a procession ahead of the service provided an opportunity for the public to say farewell.
It left Park Memorial Funeral Home on 111 Avenue and 97 Street at 10 a.m., driving south to Rogers Place. Along 104 Avenue under Ford Hall, fans were invited to gather as a way to say goodbye to Ben.
“This is so great. Ben would absolutely love this,” his father Mike Stelter said of the public farewell.
A spokesperson for the team said members of the Oilers and OEG “will be in attendance to celebrate Ben’s life and show our support for Ben’s family.”
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Edmonton Oilers remember young fan Ben Stelter: ‘So strong, so brave, such a fighter’
The Oilers pledged before the start of the 2021-22 season they would play the song La Bamba after every win at Rogers Place, in honour of long-time locker room assistant Joey Moss.
Earlier this year, Ben became a household name, known for cheering on the team to win and “Play La Bamba, baby!”
People gather outside Rogers Place Friday, Aug. 19, 2022 as a procession to say farewell to six-year-old Oilers fan Ben Stelter passes by.
Global News
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