When Kate and Paul Cope ’01 took their son, 5-year-old Grayson Cope, to the Illinois State Ice Hockey Club’s “Skate with the Birds” night last December, they didn’t expect him to find a new friend on the ice.
As Grayson skated around Grossinger Motors Arena in downtown Bloomington, Kate and Paul noticed him trying to keep up with a member of the hockey team—Redbird senior construction management major Wil Kelly. Grayson and Kelly ended up skating side-by-side until the arena closed for the evening.
“I was just skating around, and I saw this little kid with a little helmet on smiling, and it reminded me of myself,” said Kelly.
Grayson and Kelly took a picture together at the end of the night and went their separate ways. But everyone involved knew this wasn’t the end of the unlikely duo.
“The two of them kind of attached for the rest of the time skating on the ice,” said Paul. “As a parent, that makes you feel good to be able to see your kid so happy and to see the smile on his face.”
Paul and Kate took several pictures and videos throughout the evening of Grayson and Kelly. A week later, Kate posted some of the pictures to Facebook, and the response was overwhelming.
“The post took off,” said Kate. “It had a bunch of shares, and through the coach, we got in touch with Wil.”
To date, Kate’s December 8 post has 50 likes, 16 shares, and nearly 30 positive comments.
“I see this long post that made me tear up when I read it because it was so cool,” said Kelly. “I just met this kid, and now it’s all over social media. It was really humbling and special to me.”
Kelly began communicating with the Copes via Facebook Messenger. They planned to connect after one of Kelly’s games so that he and Grayson could officially meet, and so the Copes could meet Kelly’s family.
“It just took off after that, and we haven’t stopped talking since then,” Kelly said.
After a long five weeks of waiting, the Copes made it to a home game, where Grayson attended wearing a Redbird hockey sweatshirt with Kelly’s name and number on the back. Before puck drop, Kelly gave Grayson knuckles through the glass. At the end of the game, he presented Grayson with his game-used hockey stick.
“I never got a stick, and that was super cool,” Grayson said.
Growing up, Kelly often attended hockey games and always wanted, but never received, a stick. He wanted to give Grayson something special.
After the game, the families finally met.
“I was just hoping that it would be everything that Grayson was hoping it would be, and it was that and more,” said Kate. “When Wil gave him the stick and gave him knuckles through the glass, as a mom, it just really melted my heart and made me tear up. Watching them meet that first time was just sweet.”
Kelly said it was “really special” to have his “number one fan” there to cheer him on.
“When I saw his face on the ice after warmups, it just made my day; my year; my career,” Kelly said.
Paul said the two engaged in a “big old hug” and that Grayson was “grinning ear to ear.”
“There was all this excitement that’s built up, and finally, I could just sit down and talk to Grayson and have an opportunity to be friends,” said Kelly.
After their meeting, the Cope family and Kelly continue to stay in touch. Grayson and Kelly have exchanged numerous pictures and small gifts. Grayson gave Kelly a framed picture of them together for Christmas and a rock that Kelly said he keeps in his jacket pocket and brings with him to every game.
Whether watching in-person at Grossinger Motors Arena or via an online livestream, Grayson never missed a game from the Illinois State Ice Hockey Club’s historically successful 2023 season.
Paul said the connection between Grayson and Kelly has provided an “unexpected joy in their lives” and has rekindled his Redbird pride.
“You never forget ISU, but it’s easy enough to just not think about it as much as I did when I was going there,” said Paul. “To have something to bring me back around has been nice in a way of reconnecting with ISU.”
Even after Kelly graduates this spring, the Copes plan to continue supporting Redbird hockey.
“It’s just been a lot of fun having someone that you are going to see and cheer on. Just like if you had a favorite player in the NHL or something like that. That’s what it feels like for us with Wil,” said Paul.
With his graduation around the corner, Kelly said, “These last couple months that I’m here, I would like to stay in touch (with the Copes) and do as many things together as possible. I think it’s going to be a friendship that’s going to last our whole lives. I’m excited to hopefully see Grayson on the ice one day.”
When asked if he thinks he could be a Redbird hockey player one day, Grayson responded, “Yes. Because I am going to be a Redbird hockey player.”
