Firefighters, hockey players form unbreakable bond after Pawtucket tragedy

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PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WPRI) — It’s been one month since the deadly shooting at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket rocked the entire state.

The gunman, identified by police as 56-year-old Robert Dorgan, opened fire in the stands during the first period of his son’s high school hockey game on Feb. 16. He shot and killed his ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan, his son Aidan Dorgan, and his former father-in-law Gerald Dorgan.

RELATED: Police release bodycam footage of deadly shooting at hockey rink

The shooting happened during the Blackstone Valley Schools co-op’s senior night hockey game against the Coventry-Johnston co-op.

Colin Dorgan was on the ice when the gunshots rang out. The North Providence High School senior spent two weeks processing the tragedy before returning to the team.

MORE: Photographer captured victims’ final family moments before deadly shooting

Though he only scored one goal throughout the regular season, he made his return to the ice count. He netted two goals in his team’s quarterfinal-round win against the Rogers/Middletown/Tiverton/Mount Hope/East Providence co-op.

Colin didn’t stop there. He brought the crowd to its feet when he scored the game-winning goal in double overtime against Portsmouth High School last week, sending his to the championship game.

The entire Blackstone Valley Schools team celebrated the monumental win against Portsmouth High School with the initials of Colin’s mother, brother and grandfather on their jerseys.

DON’T MISS: Dorgan sends hockey team to championship with game-winning goal

‘We’ll never forget them’​

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(Courtesy: Local 1261 Pawtucket Firefighters)

Though not everyone on the Pawtucket Fire Department was there that afternoon, the deadly shooting shocked them to their core.

Pawtucket Fire Capt. Jeff Johnson was in charge of coordinating station coverage for the rest of the city as the vast majority of the department’s first responders rushed to Lynch Arena.

“We see lots of tragedies every day, but obviously nothing like that,” he recalled, referring to the deadly shooting.

The city’s first responders leaned on each other while processing the tragedy.

“It takes a lot to get through something like that,” Johnson said. “But we’re a family, and we’ve been there for each other through thick and thin.”

Johnson said the department decided to take it one step further by extending their support to Colin and his teammates.

“A firefighter is someone who sees people on their worst days,” he explained. “That day was probably the worst day that most of those children will ever feel in their lives, hopefully … We want them to know that we’ll never forget them.”

SEE ALSO: Blackstone Valley Schools eyes Division II title after Dorgan’s unforgettable goal

The Pawtucket Fire Department filled several rows of seats behind the team’s bench at Schneider Arena, the night Colin scored his unforgettable goal.

“We thought it would be a great show of support to go there as a unit … and just show the team and show the coach that we were there for them,” Johnson said.

Johnson described Colin’s game-winning goal as “a storybook ending.”

“I don’t think there was a dry eye in the stands,” he said. “His brother, his mom and his grandfather were definitely there in spirit in the rink that day.”

Johnson said Blackstone Valley Schools head coach Chris Librizzi, who’s a former Warwick firefighter, told him after the game that their presence did not go unnoticed.

“Those kids really felt touched by us being there, and really saw that we were there to support them,” he said.

The Pawtucket Fire Department plans to be there Wednesday afternoon when Blackstone Valley Schools vies for the Division II title against Lincoln High School.

The GoFundMe page created to support Colin and his sister Ava after the tragedy has raised more than $315,000 so far and is still accepting donations.

NEXT: High school announcers recall Dorgan’s game-winning goal

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