"Check Twitter," she says. "Check Instagram. Check everything. Right now."
Devon pulls up Twitter with shaking hands, and I lean over his shoulder to see.
The screen loads, and—
#PucksForPawsis trending. Not just locally.Nationally. Number three on the trending list, right below some celebrity scandal and a political thing.
#BlizzardBowlis trending too. Number seven.
Devon scrolls, his breath coming faster, and I read over his shoulder:
These guys are playing hockey in a BLIZZARD to save homeless animals. This is the most Chicago thing I've ever seen.
I don't even like hockey, but I'm watching this. These guys are heroes.
Just donated. This is what the holidays are about.
BLIZZARD HOCKEY. That's it. That's the tweet.
The donation counter on the shelter's website is visible at the top of one linked article: $50,000.
Fifty thousand dollars, and the game hasn't even started.
Devon's hands are trembling. "This is—I don't—"
"Keep scrolling," Kayla says through the phone.
He does.
News outlets are covering it. Local Chicago stations, sure, but also ESPN, some national morning shows, sports blogs I've heard of and some I haven't.
Chicago Hockey Team to Play Charity Game During Historic Blizzard.
Wolves Players Defy Weather Emergency for Animal Shelter.
The Blizzard Bowl: Hockey Meets Humanity in Chicago.
Celebrity tweets. Athletes from other sports. Random people sharing the stream link, the shelter's story, photos from yesterday's setup that people must have posted online.
And the comments. Thousands of them.
This is incredible
Crying at my desk rn
Chicago doesn't fuck around
Where do I donate?
I'm in Cali and I'm def watching this
"Check your email," Kayla says. "The shelter's email. Mama Paws, check it."
Mama Paws fumbles with her phone, hands shaking, and pulls up her email.
Her face goes completely white.
"What?" Devon asks. "What is it?"
