GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Red Wings prospect Givani Smith welcomed in a very special fan after Friday night’s game against the Iowa Wild at Van Andel Arena:
Last night Ty Cornett, a young Detroit hockey player who has been subjected to racial bullying, was invited by our own @givanismith24 for him and his family to come enjoy a Griffins game. The two met post-game, where Smith encouraged him to never quit. Thanks for coming, Ty! pic.twitter.com/ty9TTMeFgy
— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) March 9, 2019
You may remember Ty’s story from the news — the teen hockey player, from the Metro Detroit area, had been victimized by racism while playing hockey not long ago. His story became viral when NHL star defenseman PK Subban heard about his experience, and posted a video directed towards him:
Ty’s story has been shared all over the place, including NBC Nightly News, Detroit News, right here at SB Nation, and countless others. The Griffins fell the the Iowa Wild in a 4-3 overtime loss Friday night, however, Givani Smith did manage to pick up a goal early on in the game.
We’d like to take the time to give a stick-tap to Givani Smith and the Grand Rapids Griffins for welcoming in Ty Cornett and his family.
