Humboldt Broncos crash survivor Ryan Straschnitzki walks for the first time since horrific crash

It's hard to believe that it's been over three years since a horrific accident in rural Saskatchewan claimed the life of 16 members of the Alberta Junior Hockey League's (AJHL) Humboldt Broncos. A bus carrying the team, its coaching staff and management staff collided with a semi-truck trailer that failed to stop at a flashing stop sign at the intersection of Highways 35 and 335. 

For the 13 survivors of the accident, it's been a harrowing 3 years trying to get their lives back to normal. For most though, "normal" will never be normal again. Former Broncos forward Ryan Straschnitzki posted a message to his social media accounts today of him standing on his own strength for the first time in three years.

Check it out:

Incredible. Remarkable. Inspiring.

Just think of the work that this young man has put into himself over the past three years. Not only has he had to deal with untold amounts of mental and psychological trauma, but he's had to push himself to the absolute limits of his physicality just to do something as simple as stand on his own two feet. It's a stark reminder to us all to not take our health for granted. This young man has put in the effort to get to this point and, frankly, I'm excited to see just how far he can go in his recovery. Would it surprise you to learn that he's back on his own two feet and walking at some point? 

Straschnitzki has been training the past year with the goal of one day joining Canada's paralympic sledge hockey team also. He qualified to Alberta's sledge hockey team in 2020 and was preparing for the national championships before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the tournament.

“It got cancelled last year. It got cancelled this year. So it’s just another year of training and I’ve gotta work harder than ever to be more prepared and hopefully win another championship,” he said earlier this year to Global News in Alberta.

I'm willing to bet that Straschnitzki will be a player to watch once the puck drops on the 2022 sledge hockey season. Keep it up, Straz!