Among all the lives Kelvin Ooms has touched performing as Rush Hulk, the late Jett Reis is one who stands out.
“His favorite character was the Hulk and I thought, ‘how fitting, this is special,'” Ooms told CTV News.
He considers his visits to sick children as a special part of what he’s accomplished in his time as the unofficial mascot of the Saskatchewan Rush lacrosse team.
Reis, who had a pediatric brain tumor, died in January. At his memorial service, his toy Hulk was placed on his casket, Ooms said.
The character resonated with children, he said.
“Quite honestly, besides the fans, it’s those opportunities, it’s those moments that I’m probably going to miss the most.”
Ooms, now in his early fifties, is hanging up his suit at the end of this Rush season, which likely features two more home games.
His body is telling him that wearing the suit — which he calls one of the best weight loss programs he knows, running up and down the stairs in a silicon mask with no ventilation — is too much of a burden.
“It’s really hard for me to step away from because I love our fans. It’s hard for me, it’s emotional. I wish I could do it forever. But I just can’t.”
Ooms first went to a Rush game in costume at the 2016 championship, dressed as Darth Vader. He had a completely different interaction with other people at the game, especially the kids, he said.
“Being surrounded by that kind of an atmosphere at a Rush game, if you’ve ever been at one, I knew that they would soon fall in love with the game. So I wanted to come up with a character that the kids could associate with, and all fans in general. And that’s why I came up with the Rush Hulk. And it took off. I never expected at all, ever, that it would escalate to what it did.”
As for finding a worthy successor, Ooms has a candidate in mind but is adamant the person must live up to the character’s reputation.
“I don’t want to disappoint anybody by putting another person in that suit who can’t bring that excitement to the game because I don’t want the Hulk to go out that way.”