{"id":51594,"date":"2013-04-12T16:25:11","date_gmt":"2013-04-12T21:25:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/?p=51594"},"modified":"2013-04-12T16:35:52","modified_gmt":"2013-04-12T21:35:52","slug":"hockey-humanitarian-award-winner-tucker-mullin-were-working-for-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2013\/04\/12\/hockey-humanitarian-award-winner-tucker-mullin-were-working-for-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Hockey Humanitarian Award winner Tucker Mullin: ‘We’re working for others’"},"content":{"rendered":"
In the isolated world of college hockey, Tucker Mullin enjoyed an impressive career. In his first year at St. Anselm, he scored 18 goals, second-best on the team. Although a torn ACL in his sophomore season and eight shoulder separations over the years slowed him down a bit, the two-time team captain still finished with 49 career goals and 104 points.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, however, Mullin’s college days will be judged by his accomplishments off the ice in that more significant arena of making the world a better place.<\/p>\n
[scg_html_ff2013]This year’s winner of the BNY Mellon Wealth Management Hockey Humanitarian Award, Mullin fits the award’s profile of an individual who might not be a Hall of Fame athlete but ranks as a Hall of Fame human being.<\/p>\n
Mullin earned his nomination for the award, annually bestowed by the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation, as a result of his extensive charitable activity. He co-founded the Thomas E. Smith Fight to Cure Paralysis Foundation, which seeks to provide emotional and financial support to those affected by and living with paralysis.<\/p>\n
He also served as a student ambassador for Team IMPACT, a New England-based non-profit that works with children facing life-threatening diseases. The group strives to harness the power of teamwork by matching up these children with collegiate athletic teams.<\/p>\n
“I grew up reading Sports Illustrated<\/em>, always looking for the story that wasn’t headline news but was about athletes who did something with the status they had,” Mullin says. “They brought attention to issues away from the ice or athletic field.<\/p>\n “Obviously, I don’t have the same status of a professional athlete, but if I can use whatever status I do have and use hockey as a vehicle to drive [that engine], that’s a role I embrace.”<\/p>\n The Paralysis Foundation arose out of Thomas Smith’s two paralyzing hockey injuries, the latter of which relegated him to a wheelchair for two years. Originally expected to join Mullin first on a junior team and then a year later at St. Anselm, Smith instead had to battle and overcome all the odds simply to step out of his wheelchair. He now walks with the assistance of a cane.<\/p>\n “His story is driving our foundation,” Mullin says. “We find people who embrace the same attitudes that Tom has: attitude, hard work and unrelenting spirit.”<\/p>\n The foundation, which has raised over $51,000, has assisted nine such people already, including former Merrimack hockey player Chic Kelly, who received a $10,000 grant to assist in his nursing care.<\/p>\n