Denna Laing Drops Ceremonial Puck At Frozen Fenway
BOSTON (CBS) – As the Frozen Fenway continued at historic Fenway Park on Tuesday, Denna Laing found herself at center ice.
Laing took the ice for the ceremonial puck drop just over a year after she suffered a serious spinal cord injury while playing in the Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium.
"I've never been on the ice at Fenway first for me," Laing said.
Her National Women's Hockey League career was cut short on New Year's Eve 2015 when she crashed into the boards while playing with the Boston Pride.
Over the past year she's been working to regain physical strength at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
"I still work out five days a week and do stuff at home on the weekends," Laing said.
Laing was honored Tuesday in front of family and friends at Fenway Park where her high school alma mater, Nobles and Greenough School, proudly wore her name on their jersey.
"I am super excited that my high school is involved the pride will be here and my sisters are playing later so really special day," Laing said.
All of the proceeds from Tuesday's games at Fenway will go to the Denna Laing Fund to help the family get through this difficult time in her life.
"It just pays for all the things we need for her in the house and allow her to get around the house easier," her mother Jeriyln Laing said.
More than a year after her injury Denna still loves the game, even though she knows she has a long road ahead of her.
"Patience and making things work and may not seem easy. The only way to get there is to keep trying," Laing said.