ORLANDO, FLA – On November 22, just four days before Thanksgiving, the SPHL was rocked by the second death of a former player. Paul Lynch, age 28, was a member of the 2008 President’s Cup champion Knoxville Ice Bears. After a stint in the ECHL with Cincinnati in 2008-2009, he came back to Knoxville where he ended his career with the Ice Bears.
The road that Lynch took prior to his untimely passing was by no means smooth. In fact, his legacy may be more about how, with the help of a loving family, he was able to reclaim his life from a darkness that cost him his freedom and could have taken his life.
On the ice, he was a consummate professional. Off the ice, he was a loyal friend. Some of those friends took the time to remember Paul Lynch in their own words…
“Paul was a close friend of mine when we were in Knoxville and we kept in touch every week up to his last few days. We were always living life and having a great time together. He was a great kid who would give anybody the shirt right off of his back. He will also be missed by my dog Rocky. Lynchy loved him and watched him while we were away on trips (during his injury). He was a dog lover himself and went out and bought SOX (his Boston terrier) after the season. He was very dependable and helpful. I remember one time after the season, I came back to visit Knoxville and my plans fell through for my hotel and I needed someone to pick me up at the airport. He not only let me stay with him and his girlfriend, but he stopped everything he was doing that day to come pick me up. Just the kind of guy he was. Very true and very genuine. Anybody that knows him well will say the same thing. He was a great teammate and an even better person.” – Tommy McMonagle, former Knoxville teammate.
“I knew Paul for a couple of years and he was a very kind and gentle friend to just about everyone that he knew. I have never heard one ill word against Paul and know for a fact that his fans and friends loved and adored him. It is such a sad time when someone so young leaves us and we all wish he was back here with us. He will remain in the memory and hearts of so many people, even those that might not have known him very well. Rest In Peace Paul. We all are missing you.” – Jim Purvis, Knoxville team photographer.
“Early in his time here at Knoxville, Paul was interviewed for a “get to know the players” article. When asked what his favorite meal was, he said “chicken parm”! He was so enthusiastic about it! I started calling him “chicken parm”. He would always correct me and say “chicken paaaaarm” and laugh. I started doing it on purpose just to get a laugh out of him and it always worked. I enjoyed seeing his smile and his laughing eyes. We will miss him terribly.” – Lee Montgomery, Knoxville fan.
“I would like to say that Paul always left a lasting impression on everybody who was lucky enough to get to know him. He was a kind and gentle human being that had a heart of gold, and would do anything for a friend. He was a hero to me for the life that he had made for himself, and the obstacles that he had made it through. I am heartbroken that we lost Paul at such a young age, but I am blessed for having the opportunity to get to know him as well as I did. He was taken from us on this Earth, but he will always be in the hearts of his friends and family. Rest in Peace Bud.” – Jody Mullins, Knoxville fan.
“Once an Ice Bear always an Ice Bear. A teammate and friend to many, Paul did a great job policing the blue line for the Ice Bears during our second championship and was well recognized within the community. A life and hockey career cut way too short. On behalf of the entire Knoxville Ice Bears family, we were truly saddened to hear of this news. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Lynch family through this difficult time.” – Mike Murray, Knoxville Ice Bears General manager.
“I met Paul Lynch in 2007 and he quickly became family to my husband and me. Paul had an impact on everyone he met. On the ice, he was a talented hockey player. Off the ice, he was an outgoing vibrant young man and a loyal and protective friend who cared more about those he loved than he ever did about himself. I took for granted that he would always be there for me, all I needed to do was call…and he never let me down. I don’t think he ever understood how much he was loved. He will be greatly missed. I hope that his family, his beloved girlfriend, and all of his friends can take comfort in the fact that Paul is now our fiercely loyal and protective angel watching over us. My life was better for having Paul in it and I am a better person for having known him. If you met him, you were lucky; if you were his friend, you were honored; if you were his family, you were blessed. Paul will be greatly missed. I will love you always Paul.” – Loretta G. Cravens, Knoxville fan.
“I have been thinking for days about what to write about Paul. I did not want to say the “typical” things people say about someone when they pass, “he was a good man, generous, kind, loving, caring, etc,” Yes, Paul was all of those, yet so much more. For a while after I first met Paul, he was just another hockey player, that is until my baby girl Makayla developed a “baby crush” on him. It wasn’t long before I had to have conversations with Paul like, where are we going to eat, what would you like for Christmas, birthday, etc. I asked these things because we thought of him during every holiday and his birthday. During these conversations, I came to know Paul, not Paul the hockey player, the REAL Paul. The good and the bad. I believe we both had walls up that we only let very few people cross, gradually as the months turned to years those wall went down. I don’t want to say Paul was my only friend, no, Paul was my family. My heart breaks for everyone left behind – his family, girlfriend, friends. We lost someone very special but Paul’s memory will NEVER leave us. He will live on in the hearts and minds of each and every one of us. Rest in peace Paul…you’re in the arms of the Angels, may you find some comfort there.” – Dawn Rast, Evans Mills, NY.
“I have many fond memories of my time with Paul Lynch as a teammate and a fellow Ice Bear, but it wasn’t hard to pick my favorite one. I call it the, “wicked pickle sniffer” story. Many times Lynchy’s stories and comments turned into much funnier moments than he had planned based strictly on his heavy Massachusetts accent and the terminology he used when he spoke. We were in Columbus one night and after a high stick to Paul’s mouth, a scrum ensued, leaving both he and I in the penalty box together along with some Columbus players. As we were sitting there pleading our innocence in the matter (as usual) the referee that evening said, “whoa, relax Lynch, did I miss something?” Lynchy, all fired up, bleeding from the mouth and talking quickly yells across the box, (forgive my crude representation of the Massachusetts dialect.) “Yeah, that *(*&%$#$ wicked pickle sniffuh stuhck me right induh teef.” The blood squirting out of his mouth, the heavy accent and the look on his face was just too much to handle and the ref, both linesmen, myself and the off-ice officials all broke into hysterical laughter. After things calmed down and play resumed, Lynchy turned to me, completely baffled, and said, “what?” It had sounded completely normal to him. From then on, every time Paul messed up a drill in practice or did something iffy, I would scream at him “you wicked pickle sniffuh”. Paul will be missed dearly by his hockey family in Knoxville. The world lost a good man far before his time.” – Mike Craigen, Knoxville coach and former teammate.
Of the tributes we received, one stood out, not only because of what it said but who said it. In seeing Paul Lynch through the eyes of an eight year old, Makayla Rast from Evans Mills, NY shared a bond of friendship with him that we adults could only admire.
“Paul was great hockey player. He meant every thing to me. He loved me very much and I love him very much too. I met him when I was 4 and he was my hero. When he went to Tennessee to play hockey, I would make my mommy and daddy take me to see him play there. It is a long drive in the car but I don’t care (because) I could see Paul. He would always pick me up and talk to me every time he saw me. I LOVE #8. We stayed at the #8 hotel when we went because it was Paul’s number. We went on a date one time to Chuck E. Cheese too. It was so fun. We played one game called skee ball and my mom played too, he beat her so bad but I beat him. I am going to miss Paul forever and ever. Oh and my favorite song about Paul is “Please Come to Boston” because he is from Boston and played hockey in Tennessee and I am the number one fan of the man from Tennessee. The End.”
As long as his friends and family hold him in their hearts just like Makayla, there will be no end to Paul Lynch’s impact on the world. It has only just begun.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
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