Josh Malysh
On November 17, 2010, the Malysh family’s world came crashing down. On that day, 21-year-old Josh Malysh was killed in a workplace accident.
“Josh was the type of person who would help anybody,” recalls his father, Charles. “If he saw you out shoveling snow, he would come over and give you a hand. He wouldn’t just walk by.”
Hockey was a big part of Josh’s life, so as a way to pay tribute to his son, Charles entered – and won – the ATB Financial Charity Shootout contest on wearealberta.ca. In the shootout to be aired January 16-20 on CTV Edmonton, he’ll shoot for Threads of Life, an organization dedicated to supporting families affected by workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses.
“We didn’t find out about Threads of Life until recently,” said Charles, who was unaware about any organization that could offer support at the time of Josh’s sudden passing. “Most of our support came from Josh’s friends. They’re still very, very close to us. Josh had such an impact on them and the passion they have for our family is unreal.”
That support led to Charles building his own ‘Rink of Dreams’ in Devon. Friends, family and the local business community provided funds and elbow grease to help refurbish the aging outdoor rink at the Clymont Community Hall as a tribute to Josh. The new state-of-the-art rink – complete with a concrete pad and new boards – officially opened in September.
“If that rink had a roof on it, it would be better than 80 per cent of the rinks in Edmonton,” beamed Charles, who floods the ice surface himself. “We have people from Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Leduc and Edmonton coming out to use the rink.”
When the Malysh family discovered Threads of Life – based in London, Ontario with branches across Canada – they wanted to help spread the word. The ATB Financial Charity Shootout offered the perfect way to help the organization gain much-needed exposure.
“I’ve always watched the shootout over the years and we thought it was a great thing for charities around Edmonton,” Charles noted. “Our main objective is that if someone is put in the same situation as us, they’ll know there’s someone they can turn to.”
Threads of Life Executive Director Shirley Hickman was thrilled when she learned Charles had earned the opportunity to shoot on her organization’s behalf. “I thought it was really exciting,” she said. “What a unique way for ATB and CTV to create awareness and support for community organizations.”
Charles will earn at least $1,500 and – if he wins – as much as $3,750 for Threads of Life. The money will go a long way in helping the organization offer one-on-one peer support, provide legal advice and host regional family forums.
He expects a strong contingent of Josh’s friends and local Threads of Life representatives to cheer him on at the CTV Rink of Dreams. And that’s not all, according to Hickman. “Across the country, Charles will have many supporters Facebooking and tweeting and shooting good wishes his way,” she said.
Charles hopes to go all the way to the final and “win the whole thing,” but he knows the competition will be stiff. Win or lose, just participating will make a difference.
“The biggest thing is we want to make sure Josh’s memory is always there,” he said. “We worry that people will forget him, so maybe by doing this shootout, his memory will stay out there.”
