Firefighter Recalls Visit from Blackhawks Star Patrick Kane

Firefighters in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove will be hoping for a quiet shift tonight to watch a friend on the Blackhawks take on the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In March, Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane visited Downers Grove Fire Station 2 with some pizza and hockey gear for Firefighter Kevin O'Leary after his wife sent out a tweet. 

He and his wife, Courtney, are big Blackhawk fans. One day after she saw the team's #WhatsYourGoal campaign, she fired off a Tweet to the team asking them to stop by and see her husband.  The campaign started off the season with the players sharing their goals, and then they asked fans to submit theirs, in hope to help make their goals come true.

"We chose Kevin because his wife submitted the #WhatsYourGoal idea via Twitter and it stood out because it was unique – the concept of visiting firemen – and also because Patrick has a particular appreciation for firemen, their work and sacrifices, since he has family members in Buffalo who do it for a living," said Blackhawks Senior Director of New Media and Creative Services.  

"It is my hope to surprise him in an awesome way because no one on this planet deserves it more than he does," Courtney later said. 

"She said, 'she didn't do anything,' she just sent 120 characters," O'Leary said.

One day in March, the firefighters saw several men standing around outside the station with video gear. They asked them if they needed some assistance and their response was that they were waiting on someone.

From inside, they kept an eye on the group. Then a black SUV pulled up on the ramp of the station.  

"My battalion chief, John Hardy, looks over and says 'That's Pat Kane that just got out,'" and they both headed for the door.

"Well, you know, I'm going to answer the door," O'Leary told Hardy. "I love hockey, so I 'm going to follow you."

When Hardy opened the door, Kane said, "I've got a food delivery for Kevin O'Leary." 

"I'm standing five, 10 feet behind him and the chief said 'that's him.'"

Kane introduced himself to the two when Kevin said, "Like I didn't know who he was or his skate size."

Kane asked O'Leary, "Do you want to go have some pizza?" Shocked, O'Leary responded, "Yes, I'd like to go have some pizza with you."

Several Blackhawks staff members joined Kane as they sat down to devour a half dozen pizzas and 100 wings. 

They called Courtney and Kane thanked her. Later, he signed a hockey puck for her.

"It was just such a humbling experience...and for my wife to think about doing it was pretty awesome," O'Leary said.

Kane presented everyone on the crew with an autographed jersey and signed other items. The Blackhawks also gave them a framed jersey with "Station 2" on the back."

After dinner, Kane took a tour of the fire station and the apparatus. 

"He asked about driving the truck, but I told him 'I don't know, that decision is above my pay grade.'"

"Everyone from the Hawks was genuine," he recalled. "They were just so nice." 

After he appeared on local news, "patients on the ambulance would say 'I know you, you're Patrick Kane's friend,'" he laughed.

After one early morning call for a carbon monoxide emergency, the family remembered him. They spent 15 minutes talking with the homeowners about the meeting.

O'Leary recalled being on-duty the night the 2013 Stanley Cup was won by the Blackhawks. 

"It was a wild experience...and my favorite part was that it was just like he was a regular guy in the firehouse."

With less than 10 minutes left in the game, O'Leary and his partner were dispatched on a medical run.

"I'm counting down the second to every game," he said.

Tonight he'll be on-duty again and hopes to catch the action between the Lightning and Blackhawks.