Before he was a country singer, Cory Marquardt was a junior hockey player.
Furthermore, his brother Matt Marquardt is still playing the game he loves professionally in England.
As expected, the Humboldt tragedy hit home with the talented musician.
“Since the age of 13 until my final year playing hockey at 21 I’ve made many trips on these buses and to think it could have happened to any of us and the fact that it did is heartbreaking,” stated Marquardt via social media on Wednesday.
“The entire hockey world is with you Humboldt, stay strong.”
Marquardt then found out about Tom Cochrane, who had played an acoustic version of the song “Big League” in front of a green and yellow backdrop to begin TSN's NHL playoff preview special.
The song, originally featured on his 1988 album "Victory Day" with Red Rider, is written from the perspective of a father whose son was a hockey player with big dreams cut short by a truck driving in the wrong lane.
Marquardt decided to do the same in front of his brother’s framed hockey jersey in his North Bay home.
“This song is incredibly nostalgic to me and many other Canadians I’m sure,” he said on social media.
“It’s always and will always make me think of my big brother who still plays and travels every day from rink to rink, city to city to play the game he loves.”