Every Sunday from October to March, the Southern Connecticut Storm, a hockey program for kids and young adults with developmental disabilities, are on the ice in Bridgeport.
They operate with the help of volunteer mentors who help the players learn skating and hockey skills.
Along with them, every Sunday for the past six years, a mentor by the name of Justin Halmose. He’s a former goalie, one the skaters love a chance to try to score on.
This particular Sunday, for the first time in a long time, Halmose wasn’t on the ice with them. Now, the 22-year-old is shifting his focus to another chance to help others: joining the Marines.
Fittingly, Halmose left Connecticut on a Sunday. He’s heading to quarantine in Florida and then off to boot camp.
His former players sent well-wishes virtually to let him know they’re thinking of him. Halmose said every Sunday, he’ll be thinking of them, too.
“Right around that time it’s like, 'shouldn’t I be heading to the rink?' Wherever I go or wherever I may be, I want to do what I do at the storm,” said Halmose.
Halmose said his favorite part of working with the Storm over the years was seeing players take the confidence they learned on the ice and turning it into success off the ice.
You can learn more about the Southern CT storm here.
