COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — While Team USA competed at the Milan Cortina Olympics, local heroes of a different kind took to the ice at Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs.
Colorado Warriors Hockey and Brave Warriors Hockey faced off in two charity games, uniting local veterans and first responders for a cause greater than the final score.
- Watch How These Two Groups Are Helping Veterans and First Responders In Our Community
For the players, the games were about far more than competition.
"It's like butterflies, you know, it's like when you play your first sport when you're a kid. Or you know certain aspects of the military, you know, you get that just, that, that fuzzy feeling inside, it's awesome, it brings it back," said Eli Jauregui, with the Colorado Warriors. U.S. Marine Corps Veteran.
For first responders on the ice, the sport offers a rare chance to decompress.
"To come out and do something like this, have fun, joke around, it helps kind of lighten it up for us. For me, hockey has always been that kind of rock, my whole life. It helped me through a lot of stuff, so for it to still be there for me while I'm a fireman is, is super important to me," said Griffin Mason, Brave Warriors and CSFD Firefighter.
The sense of community the games create resonates deeply with those who suit up.
"It's about camaraderie, being with your brothers and sisters on the ice, and everything goes away," a player said.
That community has been especially meaningful for those new to the area.
"Being new to Colorado, not knowing many people, being able to come right in here and join this family has been phenomenal," one player said.
For veterans in particular, the connection to the sport goes beyond the game itself.
"It's helped me a lot mentally, emotionally, spiritually. That sense of belonging was, was a big thing that was missing when I left the Marine Corps, and that came back really, really fast," said Eli Jauregui.
For at least one player, the organization arrived at a critical moment.
"This organization found me one of my darkest times in my life. So for me, it means everything," said CJ Truelson a U.S. Navy Veteran and now Colorado Warriors Fundraising Director.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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