Boy’s Life, Death Inspires Wings’ Primeau

ST. LOUIS — The last time Detroit Red Wing forward Keith Primeau saw Joshua O’Loughlin, he encouraged the 10-year-old Melvindale, Mich., boy to keep battling cancer and root the Red Wings on to the Stanley Cup.

“He’s on board as a mascot, so he’s got to stay around and be a part of it,” Primeau said Tuesday after he fulfilled the boy’s dream and introduced him to many of the players during a locker-room tour at Joe Louis Arena.

Joshua, however, didn’t live to see his heroes win hockey’s biggest prize. He died in his mother’s arms Thursday, hours after watching the Red Wings lose Game 3 of their playoff series to the St. Louis Blues on television.

“Josh was an inspiration to all of us and he really brought things into perspective,” said Primeau, who recently befriended another terminally ill youngster and was among five Red Wings who paid their own way to fly back to Detroit and attend the girl’s funeral.

“It was nice, at least, that his last couple of days were happy ones,” said Primeau, who was Joshua’s favorite player. “It makes you feel good to have the opportunity to make someone happy like that.”

Doctors discovered last summer that Joshua had hepatoblastoma, a malignant tumor of the liver. The cancer later spread and confined him to a wheelchair.

“I talked to Steve Yzerman about it a little bit. It makes you appreciate your own children,” said Primeau, the father of an infant daughter. “You go home and give them a big hug and realize how fortunate you really are.”

The boy’s funeral is scheduled for Tuesday in the Detroit suburb of Melvindale. A Red Wing spokesman said players had hoped to attend, but Game 6 of their playoff series against the Blues is Tuesday in St. Louis.