Ryan Straschnitzki’s life has been an open book since he was seriously injured in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, and his story is soon to be shown on TV.
The 26-year-old from Airdrie, Alta., was paralyzed from the chest down in 2018, when a semi-trailer ran a stop sign and barrelled into the path of the junior hockey team’s bus in rural Saskatchewan.
Sixteen people died and 13 were hurt.
A film crew with Regina-based Prairie Cat Productions followed Straschnitzki for eight months and created a six-part series called “We Were Broncos.” It airs on AMI, or Accessible Media Inc., beginning May 26.
Straschnitzki played on Alberta’s Para hockey team and had been training with the Paralympic development team, but his journey ended at the Team Canada Olympic tryouts.
Hoop dreams
In July 2023, he decided to try to make the 2028 Paralympic basketball squad.
The move caught the attention of Lucas Frison, founder of Prairie Cat, who had completed a documentary for CBC on the Bronco team in the season after the crash.
“Looking back, seeing some of the footage and where I was to where I am now is a real eye opener. I think I’ve changed a lot as a person,” Straschnitzki told The Canadian Press while shooting hoops at an outdoor court in Airdrie.
“I think at the beginning of the basketball season I kind of doubted myself a little bit. By the end of the season I was a lot more confident in myself and realized I have the ability to make it where I want to make it, if I put the work in.”
Straschnitzki has been playing on a Calgary wheelchair basketball team and was invited to his first camp in July for Team Canada.
Frison, the producer and director for “We Were Broncos,” was a close friend of Mark Cross, an assistant coach of the Broncos who died in the crash.
Frison said it’s rewarding to tell Straschnitzki’s story.
“I’ve got to know him a lot over this last year, and he’s just a fun, positive person to be around.”
In the series, Ryan talks about being recognized and approached by people on the street about the crash and his survival, said Frison.
“He understands. He’s OK with that. But he also wants to be known for other things, like his pursuit of wheelchair basketball and making the Canadian Paralympic Team for the 2028 Paralympics. He wants to be known for his Straz Strong charity that he started and some of these things that were beyond the crash.”
Straschnitzki is set to be in Toronto this week promoting the series.
“I think a lot of people know the story of Humboldt and what happened. But I think a lot of people don’t really know my story … my perspective and where I’m at now,” he said.
“I think it will open a lot of eyes and hopefully people get insight into what my life looks like.”
Frison and Straschnitzki both said they hope there will be a second season.
Straschnitzki admitted he hasn’t seen the finished product.
“I hate watching myself on camera and hearing myself, so I don’t know what to expect,” he said with a laugh.
“I just hope the audience likes it and it turns out well, then we’ll see what happens from there.”
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