Nadia Popovici was in the stands behind Canucks assistant team manager Brian “Red” Hamilton on October 23 last year to watch the Vancouver team play the Seattle Kraken.
The fan, who is preparing to study in medical school, noticed a mole on the back of Hamilton’s neck and alerted him by writing a message on his phone and pressing it once morest the glass that separates the supporters from the team members. .
READ MORE
“I have a wonderful family, I have a wonderful daughter. She saved my life, ”said Mr. Hamilton.
“The words that came out of the doctor’s mouth were if he was unaware that for four or five years he would not be here.
“He didn’t know it was there, he pointed it out.
“The way she saw it stunned me.
“I was not very big, I wear a jacket, I carry a radio on the back of my jacket … she is a hero.”
Mr. Hamilton said that following Ms. Popovici came to his attention, he had a doctor check her mole.
The mole was removed and found to be cancerous, Mr. Hamilton said that following a larger piece was removed, the results had been “negative for everything.”
The words that came out of the doctor’s mouth were: if he did not know that for four or five years he would not be here
After following Ms. Popovici’s advice, the Canucks staff member wanted to thank her, but did not know her name or identity.
The team tweeted an appeal to find the fan before they returned to play in Seattle at the Climate Pledge Arena on January 1, and within hours they had succeeded.
“The message you showed me on your cell phone will be forever etched in my brain and it has made a real difference that changed my life and that of my family,” Hamilton wrote on appeal.
“His instincts were correct and the mole on the back of my neck was a malignant melanoma and thanks to his persistence and the quick work of our doctors, it is now gone.”
The couple met before the NHL game, where Mr. Hamilton was able to thank Ms. Popovici as the two recalled the most important moment.
“I was so nervous to bring it up, so I tried to catch you at a time when there weren’t many people around.” She told him.
“I’m so glad you saw (the message).”
Subsequently, it was announced that both teams had teamed up to award Ms. Popovici with a $ 10,000 scholarship to medical school.
