Humboldt Strong on full display at Riders game

It was only fitting that a rainbow appeared over the Humboldt Strong Riders game Saturday night.

The Riders paid tribute to the team before their game with Montreal as a way to honour those who were lost in the April 6 bus tragedy and help those still here to heal.

Riders President and CEO Craig Reynolds said he felt honoured and privileged to host the game for the Broncos and the community of Humboldt.

“There was a thank you element too. We invited a lot of first responders as well to the game, it’s thanking them for what they did on that terrible, terrible night, but mostly it’s for Rider Nation to wrap their arms around Humboldt and around the Broncos,” he said.

After the crash, the Riders knew they wanted to dedicate a game to Humboldt and the Humboldt Strong movement.

“We worked right away with the Broncos and we wanted this to be meaningful and impactful to them,” Reynolds said.

The Broncos hockey club felt that the game would be a great way to help support those impacted by the crash and that the support of Rider Nation was important to their healing.

Reynolds said the first day of planning for the game was emotional.

“I remember going home that day and just being emotional because of how impactful we think this day will be and how emotional this day will be and hopefully how memorable this day will be,” he said.

Some of the Broncos survivors were in attendance at the game.

Humboldt Strong was on full display with Broncos jersey’s and Humboldt Strong shirts seen throughout the crowd, even Gainer and the statue out front were sporting a Broncos jerseys.