Latest news with #MarkKirton
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Former Red Wing Mark Kirton Passes After Battle Against ALS
Former Detroit Red Wings forward Mark Kirton, who enjoyed the most productive seasons of his NHL career with the franchise, has tragically lost his battle against ALS and passed away Sunday at just 67. Known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a nervous system disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord for which there is no cure, nor is the exact cause known. Kirton, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2018, originally began his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who made him the 48th pick in the 1978 Draft. Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. He was traded to the Red Wings in 1980 for goaltender Jim Rutherford, and he would go on to score 33 goals with 42 assists in 134 total games with the club. He would also play for the Vancouver Canucks after the Red Wings traded him for Ivan Boldirev; he ultimately appeared in 266 career NHL games, recording 57 goals with 56 assists. He also racked up 123 goals and 202 assists in 458 career games in the American Hockey League. Confound to a wheelchair in 2020, Kirton served on the board of ALS Action Canada. 'We've been living this nightmare for what, a few years now, and I can tell you, it's horrific, it's cruel, it's torture,' Kirton said in September 2024. 'The challenges are not daily challenges, they're like hourly challenges.' Kirton is the second former NHL player to recently pass away from the degenerative illness, which also claimed the life of his former teammate, Börje Salming, a Hall of Fame defenseman who played for both the Maple Leafs and Red Wings, at age 71 in November 2022. Additionally, the illness has recently claimed the lives of Calgary Flames assistant general manager Chris Snow along with former Senators assistant coach Bob Jones. Kirton is survived by his wife Lisa and children Adam, Sarah and Taylor. Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites.
National Post
13 hours ago
- Health
- National Post
Oilers notebook: Keith Acton fondly recalls 'resilient' Mark Kirton who died after fight with ALS
Former Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup winner and associate coach Keith Acton fondly remembers his friend and ex-NHL forward Mark Kirton, who fought the bravest of fights with ALS before dying Sunday in Ontario. Article content 'It's so sad…he really dedicated himself in every way to generate resources to fight this for others, you know, coming down the pipe, making people aware (ALS),' said Acton, who played three years of OHL junior hockey in Peterborough with Kirton, who was diagnosed with the awful disease in 2018 and died at 67. Article content 'He gave a message on video for (former NHL goalie and TV broadcaster) Greg Millen's funeral (April). Mark was always thinking of others. He was a good player, a good person and so resilient,' said Acton, who was successfully treated for testicular cancer when a Maple Leafs' assistant coach to Pat Quinn. Article content Toronto Maple Leafs' Hall of Famer Borje Salming, Calgary Flames ' assistant GM Chris Snow and Ottawa Senators assistant coach Bob Jones have also succumbed in the last three years to ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease, the nerve system disease which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing a loss of muscle control and eventually a loss of mobility and the ability to eat and speak, paralysis and respiratory failure. Article content No disrespect to Kirton's 266 NHL game career after being a second-round Toronto draft pick in 1978—it's not easy making the best league in the world—but he got more interest for his ALS battle and raising money to draw awareness to the insidious disease. He founded ALS Action Canada with PALS (Patients with ALS), a patient-led alternative to find a cure in 2020. Article content Article content Five years is usually the high bar with people with ALS and Kirton lived seven. In December, 2023, after Kirton spearheaded the effort, the seven Canadian teams got together to help raise funds and reached $1 million. Article content Article content 'He was a dedicated hockey player who loved the game but his dedication to this (ALS) was a whole other level,' said Acton, who won a Cup ring here in 1988, and later was on Dallas Eakins' staff, along with owning a Boston Pizza franchise for about 20 years in Stouffville, Ont. and currently on city council there. Article content Kirton and Acton played three years together in Peterborough, the first season for Roger Neilson, who later would coach the Leafs and Canucks. Acton would go on to play 1,023 NHL games, and Kirton had stops with Toronto, Detroit and Vancouver, becoming an NHL role player, lessons learned from Neilson. Article content 'Mark was strong for his size and he did the basics…he was a Roger (Neilson) kind of player, disciplined and dedicated the defensive side of the game. Good on face-offs, a good penalty-killer and he could score. He wasn't flash and dash but he was a very serviceable player. I'm sure Roger was instrumental in Mark being drafted to the Leafs because, and deservedly so, Roger held Mark in high regard,' said Acton.
National Post
15 hours ago
- Sport
- National Post
Canucks: Hockey world mourns death of Mark Kirton after long battle with ALS
Darcy Rota's scouting report on his former Vancouver Canucks teammate Mark Kirton includes 'very special person,' along with 'very special team guy.' Article content Kirton played six seasons in the NHL, including parts of three seasons with the Canucks. He had 17 goals for Vancouver in 1984-85. He was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) — otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease — in 2018, and became a champion to raise money for research to help find a cure. He was a board member of ALS Action Canada. Article content Article content Article content 'He was really solid defensively. He could chip in offensively. More than anything, he was a great teammate,' said Rota, 72, whose five-year run with the Canucks ended with the 1983-84 season. 'He was very much one-for-all, all-for one. Article content 'I've got a chance to do a few things for ALS out here and I'm especially happy for that because of the connection with him. Great personality, great teammate. He was always fun to be around. Such a dry sense of humour.' Article content Postmedia's Ben Kuzma did a feature piece on Kirton in June 2022 where Kirton talked about his trip to Vancouver the preceding April to see a pair of games. He had strong ties to the organization. President Jim Rutherford and Kirton were traded for one another in a Dec. 4, 1980 swap between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, and were teammates for a time when Rutherford found his way back to Detroit in 1982-83. Article content Article content Bruce Boudreau was Vancouver's coach at the time, and he and Kirton had been teammates in the Toronto organization. Article content Article content Boudreau told Kuzma then: 'He's still the strongest and bravest man I've ever met. He'll phone me when I'm down. And I'll just sit there and go: 'Kirts, you've got this problem and you're phoning me to lift me up?' He wanted to come here and support us, and even though he has ALS and has lost a lot of his movements, he's so upbeat and positive. You can't help but get excited when you see him. He was the hardest-working guy on the ice and hardest working doing this (ALS advocacy).' Article content Article content Kirton came to the Canucks as they were looking to rebuild the team after its 1982 Stanley Cup Finals run. He was acquired from the Red Wings on Jan. 17, 1983, in exchange for centre Ivan Boldirev.
The Province
15 hours ago
- Sport
- The Province
Canucks: Hockey world mourns death of Mark Kirton after long battle with ALS
Mark Kirton has died. He was 67. Wayne Gretzky had called Kirton "a hero to me." Get the latest from Steve Ewen straight to your inbox Photo of former Canuck Mark Kirton at his home in Oakville, Ontario where he still manages to manipulate a keyboard with one finger. Photo by Lisa Kirton Darcy Rota's scouting report on his former Vancouver Canucks teammate Mark Kirton includes 'very special person,' along with 'very special team guy.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Kirton played six seasons in the NHL, including parts of three seasons with the Canucks. He had 17 goals for Vancouver in 1984-85. He was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) — otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease — in 2018, and became a champion to raise money for research to help find a cure. He was a board member of ALS Action Canada. Kirton has died. He was 67. The NHL website recalled how Wayne Gretzky had called Kirton 'a hero to me.' January 2 1985. Vancouver Canucks Mark Kirton 'He was really solid defensively. He could chip in offensively. More than anything, he was a great teammate,' said Rota, 72, whose five-year run with the Canucks ended with the 1983-84 season. 'He was very much one-for-all, all-for one. 'I've got a chance to do a few things for ALS out here and I'm especially happy for that because of the connection with him. Great personality, great teammate. He was always fun to be around. Such a dry sense of humour.' Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Postmedia's Ben Kuzma did a feature piece on Kirton in June 2022 where Kirton talked about his trip to Vancouver the preceding April to see a pair of games. He had strong ties to the organization. President Jim Rutherford and Kirton were traded for one another in a Dec. 4, 1980 swap between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, and were teammates for a time when Rutherford found his way back to Detroit in 1982-83. Bruce Boudreau was Vancouver's coach at the time, and he and Kirton had been teammates in the Toronto organization. Boudreau told Kuzma then: ' He's still the strongest and bravest man I've ever met. He'll phone me when I'm down. And I'll just sit there and go: 'Kirts, you've got this problem and you're phoning me to lift me up?' He wanted to come here and support us, and even though he has ALS and has lost a lot of his movements, he's so upbeat and positive . You can't help but get excited when you see him. He was the hardest-working guy on the ice and hardest working doing this (ALS advocacy). ' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Handout photo of Mark Kirton (centre) with former Canucks Darcy Rota. They were teammates. Photo by Mark Avison Kirton came to the Canucks as they were looking to rebuild the team after its 1982 Stanley Cup Finals run. He was acquired from the Red Wings on Jan. 17, 1983, in exchange for centre Ivan Boldirev. ' Getting traded there for Boldirev? I told somebody the other day that I don't know if I would make that trade, ' Kirton told Kuzma in regard to get swapped for a 33-goal scorer from the season before. 'My time (in Vancouver) was good there at the beginning (but) the team started to struggle and guess what happens to third and fourth-liners?' Former Maple Leafs defenceman Borje Salming died on Nov. 24, 2022 from ALS. Kirton wrote in an email to Postmedia just before that 'i t breaks my heart that anyone and their family should have to go through this. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Make noise every time you hear the words ALS. Be loud and try to make a difference. Sooner or later, the more people know about this, then help will come all at once, like a cavalry, and our government will have to take notice,' he continued. 'We still need a better system to qualify for trials and promising drugs, faster pathways for drug approvals and more government-covered hours for home care. More than anything, after 100 years, we need to focus on finding a cure . ' According to the Mayo Clinic, ALS is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and causes loss of muscle control. The disease gets worse over time. @SteveEwen SEwen@ Read More Vancouver Whitecaps News Books News News
Edmonton Journal
15 hours ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
The remarkable ex-Leaf Mark Kirton succumbs to ALS
Article content Everyone should have a Mark Kirton in their lives Article content Someone who makes today better than yesterday. Someone who makes tomorrow better than today. Article content There aren't many of them in our world — those built-in genuine optimists who you visit and walk away feeling better about the world, about your life, about the sun that is shining because you spent some time with him. Sometimes it may have been just a visit, or a phone call or a text message or just an email. Article content Article content But always with a smile, maybe a joke, maybe a little laughter, something to feel right about when really there wasn't all that much to smile or laugh about. The former hockey player, Mark Kirton lost his battle with the dreadful disease ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, on the weekend and I don't know if I've ever known anyone quite like him before, or anyone I admired more. Article content Article content We first met in 2021 when he went public with his personal fight and from there a relationship was born. ALS is a monster that takes away your life, bite by bite, piece by piece. It's different for everyone suffering. Some lose their hands first. Some lose their feet. Some are confined to wheelchairs. Some can speak, some can't. Some can see, some can't, It's one part, then another, no timetable for how it goes or how it tears your life apart. Article content Kirton was still selling real estate in Oakville when we first met, working from home, working from a wheelchair, still talking fast, smiling, pushing the product, forever ready to make the next deal. Article content Article content But as he was still working, he began to turn his work to his own disease. What he could go for ALS? How he could find a way to raise more money? Why is it there were drugs in America that weren't available in Canada? Why is it there wasn't enough known about the disease and not enough research being done. Article content He had more questions than answers, and no where to turn for money. Article content So he started ALS Action Canada and began fundraisers for the disease. He wasn't a big name — he wasn't his former teammate, Borje Salming — but he was so engaging. Article content He got the Canadian NHL teams involved in fundraising. He started the ALS Super Fund, which all NHL clubs began events to contribute to. From ALS Action Canada to the ALS Super Fund, he started PALS — an organization for people suffering from ALS. Article content He wanted to connect people going through the same difficulties. He wanted more communication. Just last week, he had planned to meet with television's Ron Maclean and former Maple Leaf captain, Darryl Sittler, to get to work on his latest project.
