Anne Marie Tiernon/Eyewitness News
Vancouver - Derek Zike's talent in hockey led to big dreams that maybe he'd be a part of Team USA. His dreams of playing in the Olympics are gone, but hockey greats are claiming him as one of their own.
It was a whirlwind weekend for the Zike family from Fishers, who came to Canada to watch the world's best play hockey. Now, they have tickets for the gold medal game.
"USA-Canada, it's going to be a heck of a rematch. Canada knows what to look for this time," Derek Zike said.
Zike, a senior at Fishers High School, was paralyzed during a hockey game in Michigan a year ago. He spent months in rehab, his journey documented by MTV.
When women's hockey star-turned-announcer Cammi Granato's family learned about Zike's injury, they pooled resources to get the family to Vancouver.
"They are such a wonderful, wonderful family that it's hard not to want to help them," Granato said. "In a hockey country that breathes and lives whatever hockey, it's a religion here, they are hard to get, but we did call around and we tried a lot of avenues and finally got the right one and it worked out."
It meant the Zikes got to see the United States-Finland game on Friday.
"You just want to squeal. We were texting everybody at home, it was crazy," said Robin Zike, Derek's mother.
In between the action, they are meeting hockey stars, like Jeremy Roenick.
"If you ever want to talk and having a bad day, just call me," Roenick told Derek over the weekend. "You've got a great attitude. I love that. It's all mental."
The two talked hockey and Roenick shared his connections.
"It's fantastic to see what we went through a year ago with my son, we were that close to losing him and now, we get to see him in the happiest moments of his life. It's incredible," said Derek's father, Mike.
"People talk about 'once in a lifetime' thing and you hear that and you understand them, but you don't know until you experience it," Robin Zike said.
"I just want to say thanks for everything," Derek Zike said. "I don't know. I just broke my neck a year ago, I don't really know how I deserve al this, but it's been great."
It will be even better if Team USA wins the gold on Sunday. Derek's prediction - a 4-3 American victory.
