Pittsburgh Review

So Many Angels, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing joy to children with cancer and other serious medical conditions, recently collaborated with the Pittsburgh Penguins for a special event. During the Hockey Fights Cancer game, three children—Gaib, Sierra, and Alexander—were transformed into Pittsburgh Penguins players through the power of photography.

The children saw their finished canvases during the second intermission of Tuesday’s game against Tampa Bay. “It’s awesome,” said Gaib’s dad James. “It's something cool for him to experience, especially through all the hard times.” The kids took photos with their canvases and were joined by Iceburgh, the team mascot. Sidney Crosby also signed all three canvases.

Sierra's mom Monica appreciated the distraction from their usual challenges: “Given the circumstances that we're under,” she said, “it was nice to get out and think about something else for a minute.”

On November 1st, following a Halloween victory over the Anaheim Ducks at PPG Paints Arena, Gaib, Sierra, and Alexander received jerseys of their favorite players for a photoshoot. They watched practice and met some of their heroes. Alexander’s dad Michael expressed gratitude: “I know Alexander has been really excited to come see his first Penguins game in person.”

Matt Meiers, Founder and Executive Director of So Many Angels, emphasized their mission: “This is what I live for because the power of photography is just incredible … it shows their child as the superhero that they are.” He noted how meaningful it is for parents to see their children happy: “To give them that five minutes... it's just the reactions when we hear the parents say something like, ‘I haven't seen that smile in six months.’ That means the world to me.”

Alexander's father mentioned this was a celebratory moment as Alexander's treatment had ended two weeks prior.

This marks the third year of collaboration between So Many Angels and the Penguins Foundation. Cindy Himes from the Foundation remarked on its significance: “It’s become part of our Hockey Fights Cancer programming.” She highlighted how meeting players is often a highlight for both kids and staff.

Players like Drew O’Connor, Michael Bunting, and Erik Karlsson took time to meet these young fans. Bunting reflected on his involvement: “Obviously they're going through some stuff... if we can put a smile on their face at any moment, that makes you feel like you've done something good.”