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Over 3,000 stuffed animals were tossed onto the ice.
Gordie Howe is back home in Saskatoon.
On Sunday, 61 members of Howe’s family laid the hockey legend’s ashes to rest at a private ceremony by his statue outside SaskTel Centre.
The site has been designated a cemetery, as ashes of Gordie and wife Colleen are now interred at the base of the monument.
“To have a place that we can kind of go to to say, ‘Here’s mom and here’s dad’ and to be able to go back anytime and celebrate them … it’s very special for us,” said son Murray Howe.
The city declared Sunday “Thank You Mr. Hockey” day.
Howe was born in Floral, Saskatchewan, but grew up in Saskatoon.
Following the ceremony, the Howe family toured the city, visiting the newly-named Gordie Howe Bridge as well as the home where Howe once lived.
Murray Howe said it’s always special visiting his father’s hometown.
“He had endless stories of really all the cool things he did when he was here growing up,” he said.
“Whenever we come here we love to see all the place he was at—where he went to school, where he skated and all the homes he lived in.”
Display of King George School #gordiehowetribute at his former school @CKOMNews #yxe @StoonPubSchools pic.twitter.com/TKKnEl06Yq
— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) September 25, 2016
Later in the day, 6,300 fans gathered at Sask Tel Centre for a tribute to Mr. Hockey.
Broadcaster Bob Cole hosted the special pregame before the Blades took to the ice wearing commemorative Gordie Howe jerseys, which were later auctioned off for charity.
Son Mark Howe said the family was overjoyed to see all the fans come out to honour their father.
“One thing that made (Gordie) special is every single person he met he made them feel so special,” he said.
Howe died June 10 at the age of 88.
Howe spent 26 seasons in the National Hockey League and six in the World Hockey Association. He is still No. 2 on the NHL’s all-time goals list behind Wayne Gretzky.
—With files from The Canadian Press
Gordie and Colleens ashes are in their resting place @SaskTelCtr @CKOMNews #yxe #thankyoumrhockey pic.twitter.com/Im6CxeT6Xu
— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) September 25, 2016
Standing O for the Howe family #ThankYouMrHockeyDay #yxe pic.twitter.com/41RaQeGt0F
— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) September 25, 2016