September 18th, 2018, twenty-four year old forward Nic Petan was attending training camp for the Winnipeg Jets. During the camp to prepare for the 18-19 season, Petan received the worst news. He learned his father Franc had died by suicide. As the reality of this horrific incident set in, the young forward shut down. Needing time on his own to process the weight of this event, he moved away.
" I didn't know what to do", Petan revealed to Rick Westhead, "I just felt like I needed some time to process it... I still can't process it so..."
Petan, who did return for some ice time in the 18-19 season, saw only 13 games by the trade deadline. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 25, 2019. Less than a month later, the young forward signed a two-year extension with the Leafs.
It seems as though Petan was finding a fresh start in Toronto, however the anguish of losing his father to mental illness was still very fresh. This past summer, he and his brother Alex raised money for the Franc Petan charity, which helps those suffering from mental illness. Nic and his family also opened up about their grief through the heartfelt TSN Original - 'Franc'. A must see piece, in which the Petan family creates a legacy and pays tribute to their beloved Franc.
On Sep. 18th, 2018, @MapleLeafs forward Nic Petan was told his father died by suicide.
Over a year later, his family discuss their grief, while creating a legacy in Franc's name.
This is a TSN Original - ‘Franc' w/@rwesthead: https://t.co/CH6EvapCdH pic.twitter.com/La2KpLVjVX— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 22, 2019
To donate to the Canadian Mental Health Association on behalf of the Petan family, please do so at cmha.ca/donate
