BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Thursday night, Oxford and surrounding communities came together to honor Tate Myre. He's one of four teens who tragically lost their lives during the fateful school shooting on November 30, 2021.
Two hockey teams faced off at the Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Township to raise money for the 42 Strong Foundation. Myre's brother, Trent, said people from the Fraser Wolverines and Skate Pros brought the idea to the foundation.
They played in the inaugural 42 Strong Hockey Classic. Myre wore number 42 on the football field.
It was standing room only at the hockey game. Players who 7 Action News spoke with showed up ready to support a worthy cause.
“Honestly, I hadn’t played hockey in a year. I saw this coming up. I was like ‘I have to do it' 'cause my sister was actually at the high school," Austin Spivey, a 2021 Oxford graduate said.
After the tragic events of November 30th 2021, loved ones established the 42 Strong Foundation.
Trent Myre told 7 Action News, “I want Tate’s legacy to live on. I don’t want people to forget him. He was an amazing kid, and I just want him and his legacy to live on forever.”
He said 42 Strong is all about peer-to-peer mentoring. Tenth through 12th graders mentor kids in 6th through 9th grades.
“We're just trying to give kids a friend (and) give someone that they can talk to who went through that experience through middle school and that transition into high school. It’s a hard time for a lot of kids, and we founded this for my brother Tate and that’s what he did for a lot of kids," Myre said.
"He just was there, helped people, loved them (and) cared for them," he recalled.
Supporting that cause on the ice was Team 42 Strong which was made of up of first responders, as well as Oxford alumni like Austin Spivey.
Community members like Alan O’Connor also participated.
“There’s a lot of emotions going on," he said.
O'Connor added, “I’m just honored to be a part of this.”
They played against Team Wolverines, the Fraser Wolverines, a men's league made up of former college hockey players.
Wolverine Bob Holmes said, “With everything that happened, I just… I feel lucky to be able help in anyway, especially just playing a hockey game.”
The game is just one way Tate Myre's memory is bringing people together.
“We’re very grateful. Ya know, there’s been a lot of outreach across the country," Trent Myre said.
He added, “We always talk about why did this happen. Ya know, how could this happen to such a good kid."
"He had added such a good impact and amazing people in the Oxford community, but we've heard from people, like, 'well maybe this happened so he could reach even more people and even more kids through 42 Strong,'" Myre explained.
