As soon as Luca Di Pasquo and Hank Levy walked inside the sauna room at Penticton鈥檚 community centre last week, they knew something was wrong.
The Penticton Vees鈥� goaltending tandem is not only making saves on the ice but off it as well, after the two teamed up to help an elderly man out of the hot sauna when he was left alone unconscious.
It was on Wednesday, Nov, 2, at around 1 p.m. when Di Pasquo and Levy arrived at the centre and noticed a man in his 70s, hunched over in the sauna and unresponsive to anyone around him.
Though others at the facility believed he was just taking a nap, the goalies weren鈥檛 taking any chances.
鈥淲e started nudging him and he wasn鈥檛 responding, so we took it upon ourselves to carry him out,鈥� Levy recalled. 鈥淭hen, we laid him on the floor, lifeguards came to do their thing and then the ambulance arrived.鈥�
The duo, who call themselves best friends despite meeting just a few months ago, say they were immediately concerned about the man鈥檚 well-being.
鈥淚t was obvious that something was wrong from the beginning,鈥� Di Pasquo said.
Somebody else at the facility notified a lifeguard about the situation while the goalies were carrying the man out of the sauna.
Representatives from the team say the man is expected to make a full recovery, with Di Pasquo adding his condition had noticeably improved while he was being stretched out of the centre by paramedics.
鈥淲e played such a small part in the whole situation but it鈥檚 nice to help someone when they鈥檙e in need,鈥� Di Pasquo said. 鈥淚n the moment, we knew we had to help him.鈥�
Both goalies are in the midst of their first year with the Vees.
Levy, a 20-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah, thinks of his father when reflecting on saving the man.
鈥淢y dad was always the type to help someone,鈥� he said.
Di Pasquo, meanwhile, has similar feelings.
鈥淟ast summer, me and my dad watched someone on a motorcycle get t-boned outside my friend鈥檚 driveway and we all ran over to help out,鈥� the 19-year-old from Livonia, Mich. recalled. 鈥淭hat day taught me when something like that ever happens again, always jump in to help.鈥�
Di Pasquo and Levy say their newfound friendship comes from the familiar bond goaltenders across the hockey world usually share.
And after teaming up at the sauna, their friendship will only become stronger.
The goalies say Fred Harbinson, Penticton鈥檚 head coach, general manager and president, informed the rest of the team in the locker room about the incident the next day.
鈥淗e was proud,鈥� Di Pasquo added. 鈥淗e always talks about representing the Vees well outside of the rink.鈥�
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