SPHL community steps up to aid Columbus Cottonmouths

COLUMBUS, GA – In the wake of Thursday’s bus crash near Peoria that sent all 24 passengers on the Columbus bus to the hospital, help and good wishes are pouring in from all over in the SPHL.

Most heartfelt has been the outpouring of aid and support from the Peoria Rivermen, the team Columbus was set to play this weekend before the accident.

“After the dust has settled the boys are left bruised and banged up in our hotel rooms but are happy to be alive,” remarked Cottonmouths defenseman Kyle Johnson. “We would like to thank the hockey community for their overwhelming support over the last 24 hours. We would also like to thank the first responders and the staff at St. Francis; the care we received is much appreciated.

“The Peoria Rivermen have provided us with clothes, food, and transportation, and we can’t thank them enough for all they have done'” Kyle also remarked. “They are truly a first-class organization.”

Some Peoria fans have gone by the hotel to check in on the team. “The Columbus players I talked to today seemed to be in good spirits,” said Susie Cranford. Stella and Cora – ages 2 and 4 – even made cards for them.

“The hockey community is one of the closest groups I’ve ever been a part of,” said PHN photojournalist Jeremie Allen on Thursday. “Despite the heated rivalry between our teams you never want to see anything like this happen. I need all of you to say a little prayer for the members of the Columbus Cottonmouths. There are a couple players that are still in the hospital with serious injuries. We wish those players speedy recoveries and their injuries to not be career threatening.”

As of Friday Jan. 20, goalie Brandon Jaeger and bus driver Wayne Allen are still hospitalized with non life threatening injuries. Jaeger is recovering from surgery for a fractured hip.

A few recently retired SPHL notables have suited back up to aid Columbus in returning to the ice; former Ice Bears and Ice Flyers’ David Segal and Columbus’ own netminder Andrew Loewen.

“It’s just a really bad situation for the Columbus organization,” said Segal. “It was one of my worst fears while playing and I can’t imagine what they are going through. I was taking with Loewen and he said he was going to play this weekend for them because they are really short on guys. I told him if they needed another body to let me know. Sure enough Boom Boom (Jerome Bichard) called and asked me to come up. After talking with Greg Harris and filling him in on the situation, the family and I packed up and headed to Peoria for the weekend. I’m just happy to help out in any way. Hockey is a tight knit family, and anytime something like this happens it seems to bring everyone closer. I’m glad everyone’s on their way to healing and that everyone was able to wake up this morning.”

With only the Friday game officially postponed, all plans are to proceed with the Saturday contest as scheduled in Peoria.