Fans invited to say bye to Ben Stelter at Oilers' home arena on Friday
Ben Stelter's fans and supporters are invited to a send-off for the six-year-old who died a week ago.
A procession in honour of the Oilers superfan who was diagnosed with brain cancer at four years old will travel by Rogers Place on Friday.
Organizer Ashif Mawji, a Stelter family friend, will drive his orange 2021 812 GTS Ferrari – featuring Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and, most recently, Ben's images – in the parade alongside several other "special guests."
He has arranged for police escorts and traffic control, as well as free posters for fans to wave from the sidewalks outside Ford Hall.
"We will have, I think, several hundred – if not thousand – fans that love Ben who will be there cheering," Mawji told CTV News Edmonton.
"We'll go very slowly, so you can wave, you can cheer, sing 'La Bamba,' play 'La Bamba.'"
Mawji met the Stelters during the pandemic when he was asked to drive by Ben's home in the Ferrari for the boy's fifth birthday.
Later, Mawji would facilitate Ben's first meeting with McDavid in 2021.
"We consider them part of our family. I just wanted to give Ben the send off that he deserves," Mawji explained on Wednesday.
He believes Ben would love the Friday plan.
"Sitting with him, I remember, in the Scotiabank Chairman's Club at Rogers, he would love to watch himself on any media, even on the screens, the jumbotron and stuff," Mawji recalled.
Edmontonians and NHL fans were introduced to Ben in the spring, when the Oilers named him their official "playoff ambassador."
He was honoured with his own licenced Oilers trading card, and the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation partnered with the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Kids With Cancer Society during playoffs.
Ben quickly became known for his infectious smile, growly 'Play La Bamba, baby' call, and steadfast loyalty to Edmonton's NHL team.
"I think it's going to be very emotional on Friday. It's obviously a celebration of life; we want to be remembering all the joyful, and there's so many joyful moments from Ben," Mawji said.
He told CTV News Edmonton the Stelters are doing as well as they can.
"I'm a parent. I cannot imagine what they're going through internally. No matter how ready you are for something like that, you're never ready… They're a very strong family. They're very tight. They'll pull through this."
Anyone who plans to watch the procession is asked to arrive early to be outside Ford Hall by 9:45 a.m.
A livestream of the memorial service at 11:30 a.m. will be provided by Hope City Church at hopecity.ca/stream.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jessica Robb
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.