THOMPSON'S STATION, Tenn. (WTVF) — You might call one nine-year-old from Thompson's Station a human search engine when it comes to the Nashville Predators.
Owen Chase knows a lot, thanks to his collection of hockey cards. Imagine how it would feel for this hockey historian if these cards were ever misplaced in a crowd of nearly 20,000 people?
Well, that was Owen's reality.
He brought this card collection to a Predators game in late December. He went to the Gnashville Fun Zone and at some point, he put his cards down.
Shortly after, he walked away — without the cards.
"I was pretty nervous that first time I lost my cards," Owen said. "I'm like, 'Hey dad, where are my cards? Do you have 'em?' He's like, 'no.'"
Owen's card collection was somewhere amongst a sea of like-minded fans, which basically prompted an arena-wide search and checking with the Predators' security staff.
"They said they didn't have 'em. They checked, they checked everywhere, they checked every drawer," Owen said.
The family got in touch with the Preds security staff to see if they could help. They tell me that officer, Fred Jones, was instrumental in helping to track down the cards.
The cards somehow ended up at a guest services booth. How they got there, though, is a mystery. Perhaps a fan found them, realized they must have belonged to someone, and brought them to guest services so the family could potentially claim them.
What was so unexpected, though, is what the Preds also provided with the return of the cards.
"They gave me a roster," Owen said. "Uh there was a puck! I don't know who it was. It was Ryan O'Reilly I think?"
The puck was signed. All of this was given to him in a Predator's Christmas stocking.
Owen rarely misses a Predators game. The family is thankful Mr. Jones helped to bring the cards back to Owen.
Do you have a positive story you'd like to share? You can email me at Austin.Pollack@newschannel5.com.
This is a beautiful story of chosen family, proving a father figure doesn't have to have biology in common to make a difference in a child's life. The story of De'Andre and Alex will remind you that our relationships help determine the course of our lives. And that being supportive of someone - through a meal, a shared experience or even swim lessons can make all the difference.
- Rebecca Schleicher
