TORONTO — Nashville Predators star defenceman P.K. Subban has reached out to a teenage hockey player facing racial abuse.
Subban, a Toronto native, recorded a video and sent it by text to Ty Cornett, 13-year-old Detroit-area hockey player last week.
"I can tell you this right now: As long as you're still breathing in this world, you've got to believe in yourself and let nobody tell you what you can and can't do, Especially if it's because of the colour of your skin," Subban said.
"In this world, some things happen that we don't really understand. That's OK. We don't have to understand them. All we need to do is understand ourselves, believe in ourselves, keep trying and keep pushing forward.
"I just want to tell you that when you're playing hockey, you play because you love the game and you want to play. Let nobody take that away from you."
Ty's father Matthew told NHL.com that his son Collects Subban memorabilia and wears Subban's No. 76 on the ice.
"Saturday night he received the message and went nuts," Matthew Cornett told the website. "He has probably watched the video 500 times. That night he had a game, and I have never seen him happier to go."
"This has meant the world to Ty," he added. "As a parent, I cried when I saw the video. It's been very tough to hear your son called horrible things.
"This video meant as much to my wife and I as it did to Ty."
The Canadian Press
