The trip to Philadelphia was a little more difficult due to Loris’ illness.
“It’s been his wish for years,” said Michel Labella, Schmid’s godfather. “It took a lot of organization to get all the stuff, the medical equipment, to Philadelphia. It’s a nightmare to organize, but they have it with his father and some people in Switzerland and with Tori [Kimberly, Leiterin der Öffentlichkeitsarbeit der Flyers] done. You did a great job. It’s amazing.”
Schmid, his father Riccardo and Labella arrived in Philadelphia on Friday.
They attended the Flyers’ game against the Buffalo Sabers on Saturday, where Loris read the lineup in the locker room before the game. He was also able to watch the pre-game warm-up from the bench.
During the Flyers’ 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, he sat in the front row and was allowed to ride on the Zamboni plane between periods.
After the game, Flyers forward Travis Konecny gave him one of his sticks and signed it along with teammates Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster. The three also signed his Flyers jersey.
“To have this experience for him and for us is incredible,” Labella said. “He’s had it so hard and it’s just nice to see him smiling and happy and enjoying it.”
Tori: I would definitely agree with Michel; seeing Loris light up in the locker room was a highlight for us too. Additionally, when he got to interact with the players on the ice after the game, you could see how much it meant to him. It really drove home why we do these types of initiatives.
Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Can you please introduce yourself and share your connection to Loris Schmid, the young boy who recently visited the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia for the NHL game between the Flyers and the Buffalo Sabres?
Guest 1: My name is Michel Labella, and I am Loris Schmid‘s godfather. Loris is a 10-year-old boy from Switzerland who was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy when he was six years old.
Guest 2: And I’m Tori Kimberly, Director of Public Relations for the Philadelphia Flyers. We had the privilege of hosting Loris and his family at the game this past weekend.
Q: That’s wonderful! Can you tell us more about the process of organizing this trip for Loris? It seems like it was quite an undertaking given his medical needs.
Michel: Yes, absolutely. It’s been a long journey for everyone involved, but it was important for us to make this happen for Loris. His illness has progressed to the point where he requires a lot of medical equipment and special care, so it was essential to plan everything out carefully. We worked with the Flyers organization to make sure everything was in order before they flew over, including arranging for his equipment to be available at the arena and ensuring that his needs would be met. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it to see the smile on his face during the trip.
Tori: We were happy to assist Michel and Loris’ family with their visit to Philadelphia. Our main priority is always to create a positive and memorable experience for our fans, and we wanted to make sure that Loris felt special during his time at the Wells Fargo Center. We worked closely with the medical staff at the arena to ensure they had everything they needed for his care while he was here. It was an honor to host them and we’re grateful they had such a great time.
Q: That’s amazing to hear. Was there a particular highlight from the trip that stands out for Loris or for those of you who accompanied him?
Michel: For me, it was seeing him read the lineup in the locker room before the game on Saturday. He was so excited and it was really touching to
