CALGARY – The tattoo on his right arm includes a salute to his precious brother, but the gesture David Rittich made for young Tomas earlier this week may leave a more lasting impression.
In the midst of a breakthrough season that has seen Rittich lead the Calgary Flames to the top perch in the Western Conference, the 26-year-old goaltender is enjoying a two-week visit with his parents and brother from his native Czech Republic.
Living out his dream of becoming a regular NHL starter against tremendous odds, the man capable of tracking pucks through endless traffic spotted a chance to give his younger brother an opportunity sure to impact his life.
The 23-year-old Tomas, who has autism, has long been fixated on another NHL star he never fathomed he’d have the chance to meet until Rittich made his dream come true.
“He loves Harvey (the) Hound,” beamed Rittich in his wonderfully broken English.
“When watching games he always looking for him. He’s not really care for me – he’s trying to find Harvey.”
Earlier this week he found him.
After Tomas and his parents took in a practice at the Saddledome, David had arranged for Harvey to surprise his brother with a special moment caught on video.
Shocked by the reality of being face-to-face with his hirsute hero, he did a happy dance, gave the hound a lengthy hug and turned to embrace his scheming brother.
With magical tears in his eyes, he turned to hug Harvey once again, bear-hugging him off his feet at one point.
Rittich and his parents, Jana and David, looked on with heart-melting smiles.
An emotional moment Rittich was proud to watch and orchestrate for a sibling whose obstacles in life have been far more significant than trying to stop pucks with increased proficiency.
“He’s got a lot of things – I can’t explain in English what they all are,” said Rittich of Tomas’s developmental challenges.
“You can’t see he’s kind of affected, but when he starts doing his things you can see.
“For example, when it’s a fight he’s crying. He doesn’t like that.
“He can be aggressive a little bit – not to other people, but to himself when he gets nervous and sees things he doesn’t like. He can keep it to himself.”
Growing up in a small town, Rittich said everyone knew Tomas was different, providing for a nurturing community always willing to help.
Few helped more than big brother, when he could.
“He’s happy, but sometimes the problems he has he’s got things that are different,” said Rittich, who is hugely popular with fans and teammates due to his animated, happy-go-lucky attitude.
“I grew up with that and I know what is happening so, I was prepared for that and I know what to do.”
He certainly knew what to do when given the chance to make his brother’s day with a furry introduction.
Photos of the meeting are sure to join the Harvey doll and bobble-head prominently displayed in Tomas’s room.
“I love him and I love to see him happy like he was – it was kind of his dream to meet with (Harvey) and be around a little bit with him so I wanted to surprise him with it,” said Rittich, who sent the Harvey doll home for Tomas at Christmas with his father following the dad’s trip.
“Harvey came around in the game for him too.”
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Growing up, Rittich went to a hockey school while Tomas attended a special needs school, yet the two have been close their whole lives.
“Almost every day we are in touch with my family, so we kind of say something, but he’s got his own world,” said Rittich of daily, cross-Atlantic conversations.
“When talking to my parents he comes on for a little bit and then goes to his own room and wants to be by himself.
“In there he is watching hockey. He loves to see me in the NHL and probably he is one of my biggest fans, but he is for sure the biggest Harvey fan. He is buzzing around – it was a great experience for him.”
Rittich said the two-week visit with his family has included plenty of special moments, including seeing Tomas marvel in Calgary’s winter wonderland Thursday.
“He loves cleaning the snow – he did it yesterday for three hours so I think he likes it,” smiled Rittich, one of the NHL’s top goalies this year with a 17-4-4 record, 2.50 GAA and .917 save percentage.
“He took music outside and did his own thing – so it was fun. He really enjoyed the time here with me and my wife and kind of sticking together.”
The importance of family for Rittich is evidenced by the extensive ink work on his right forearm, which includes the birthdates of all his family members.
Married last summer, the pending restricted free agent is having a storybook season sure to set them up with financial security when he signs his next deal this summer.
But that pales in comparison to the payoff he got earlier this week when the brother he’d received so much moral support from got his own special taste of the big leagues himself.
