If you are struggling with loss of a loved one some of this content may be triggering.

You are not alone- the purpose of this episode is to be true inspiration and to help anyone who's listening get something out of what Cherie has shared. A little bit of comfort or some clarity.

Loss - It is inevitable in our lives. How do we move on , how do we pick up the pieces. Where does the strength come from?

You are listening to the Ideas in Motion Podcast  and today’s episode is about life after loss

Today I have a very special guest on my podcast. Cherie McEntire is a friend from wayyyyy back. 

She’s a mom, a grandma, and a hockey player and so much more and today she’s pulling back the curtain on her life journey and sharing her story of life after loss

Cherie was one of the first people that was kind to me when I moved to Prince George in fourth grade. Our conversation includes:

What can people say to someone who is grieving

How to prepare your children for peoples condolences 

Life in recovery

New relationship after loss

Life after loss

Saying goodbye

Follow Cherie on Instagram

Listen on Podcast  or watch the video interview below

 *Transcript may not be acurate

Karen: loss. It is inevitable in our lives. How do we move on? How do we pick up the pieces? Where does the strength come from? You are listening to the Ideas In Motion podcast, and today's episode is about life after. Today I have a very special guest on my podcast. Cheri McEntire is a friend from way back.

Karen: She's a mom, a grandma, and a hockey player so much more. And today she's pulling back the curtain on her life journey and sharing her story of life after loss. Cheri was actually one of the first people that was kind to me when I moved to Prince George in fourth grade. So, uh, we were talking a little bit about this, um, pre-show, but let's, let's refresh the audience.

Karen: Like, how, how did we meet? It was fourth grade . 

Cherie: Yeah. I, I don't exactly remember. I just remember your beautiful smile and thinking, I need to be this girl's friend. . Yes. 

Karen: And, and you were, I like, I, I remember everything that I remember about you. I mean, it's going back to grade four , so we don't need to tell everybody how long ago that was , but I remember those beautiful curls, your beautiful red curls and your great big smile.

Karen: Oh, and I, I always, I always knew you were a safe space and, and so thank you for that. I'm really very welcome. Um, it's been nice to catch. Yes. 

Cherie: I'm so excited just to 

Karen: see you. Yeah. And so, um, can you remind remind me, like, did you play sports in school? 

Cherie: I did not play sports in school. Um, my parents were very busy and they just didn't really have a lot of time.

Cherie: I think my brother and I played a couple of years of T-ball. or slow pitch. Yes. But other than that, I wasn't really sporty when I was in school. I think I just didn't, I just didn't know where I fit. And so I didn't really fit anywhere. And that's just kind of how school was for me. And I know it was for a lot of people.

Cherie: Yeah. But, uh, I, I read a lot and, and, you know, I. I've discovered boys way too early. . Who, who was your favorite author? Oh, my favorite author back in the day of was always Judy Bloom. I think I read Me Too, every single thing she ever wrote. Like I just, I just love her and I can't wait till my granddaughter is old enough that I can start playing her.

Cherie: Those books. 

Karen: Yes. Yes. Actually, I remember, um, spending copious amounts of time in my room, locked in and I'd, and I'd be reading blubber over and over and over again. And Are you there? God, it's me, Margaret. Yeah. That was my, 

Cherie: you, they were my. 

Karen: Best friends and I was in bowling, I think it was grade five. I started bowling and I'd have to sell these chocolate covered almonds.

Karen: And so I'd have them stashed under the bed and I was also babysitting. So I would like, okay, I'm gonna buy another box of chocolate almonds, chocolate almonds, and Judy Blue.

Karen: Yeah. Thank goodness for good authors. Yeah, exactly. So I, um, I've, you know, I went recently on, on your Instagram and you know I've been following you. We reconnected about what, a decade ago, something like that, 15 years ago. And, uh, you just recently played at hockey, helps the homeless tournament in new market, and I did.

Karen: You're a hockey player. You're pretty much a famous hockey player. . Can you tell me a. About when you got started in 

Cherie: hockey? Uh, I wouldn't say I'm famous, but, um, my husband used to say, um, Sri, you're a hockey slut. You'll play for anyone. So , um, when my son started playing hockey, actually he is the same year I started playing, so I was, I think I was 28 when.

Cherie: Put on hockey skates. My daughter had signed up when she was seven, and it looked like a lot of fun. And I heard in my little hometown of Burns Lake, BC that they had a women's hockey team and I was anxious to start. So my son was six and I was 28 and, and we started hockey the same year. So, and I just haven't looked back.

Cherie: Like, I just, I love it. I am not very good at it, . Love it. 

Karen: Well, you, um, like I've seen bruises in photos, I've seen you in tournaments, uh, great big smiles in the locker room. Um, this is a wonderful community and, and, uh, it's, it's something that you had to, from what I understand, um, you had a, a, a very. Time getting back on the ice.

Karen: There was a time to is, you 

Cherie: know, well, I was actually quite fortunate because again, I have the red hair. Um, I'm very stubborn and I'm very independent. And, um, I had, uh, I, I guess this is as good a time as any need to talk about, um, my situation. Um, so in two, And 10, I was actually on my way home from a hockey tournament, ironically.

Cherie: Yeah. Um, my husband was driving, my 15 year old son was in the back seat and a beautiful April day and. We were cresting a hill and a driver coming the other way had fallen asleep at the wheel. Oh, and we crested at the same time. And, uh, he hit us head on. Um, my husband was killed instantly on impact, and I was very, very badly injured and my son in the backseat was quite injured as well.

Cherie: Um, , uh, I, uh, almost tore off my left foot. My left femur was broken. My left alna was broken, my back was broken, my neck was broken in two places. I had a brain injury and the seatbelt tore up my intestines, so I was in really, really bad shape. Um, my son, who is sitting behind my husband, uh, he separated his pelvis.

Cherie: dislocated as sternum and broke six ribs on one side. So all seatbelt injuries. Mm-hmm. . But, um, but yeah, so yeah, I was, I don't remember the accident. I woke up a week and a half later in Vancouver Hospital. Wow. So, and my daughter be due to the brain injury. And I think due to the drugs that I was on, my daughter was determined.

Cherie: She was gonna tell me what had happened to my husband. And I believe she had to tell me four times before it kind of stuck. Cuz if you know anything about brain injury mm-hmm. , um, , short-term memory. That's where I had the biggest issue. Like due to that, the impact, it was short-term memory. So, you know, the poor thing, she's 19 years old and she has to tell her mom continually that her dad has passed away.

Cherie: So that was, that was tough. So 

Karen: I, like, I can't, I can't even imagine. I'm, I'm sitting here across from you and, um, you're vibrant. , you are, you're beautiful. You are, you are happy. And that's, that's what we see today. But obviously there was some incredible physical and emotional things that you had to overcome.

Karen: So can, can you kind of take us back, take the audience back to those places and for example, What's the right thing to say? You know, I'm sure people come in and they, and they ha, they want to give their condolences. They really, we don't know what to say. I wouldn't know what to say. Yeah, 

Cherie: I, there really isn't a right thing to say.

Cherie: I think. as as coming from my side of things. There's a few, a few things I didn't like hearing. I didn't like hearing. Well, he's in a better place. That was no good to me because I was 37. My kids were young. Still there was no better place. Mm-hmm. . So that was a comment I really, really struggled with. Um, and everything happens for a.

Cherie: you could still not tell me today what the reason was. Like there's, those were the two phrases that people were trying to be so kind and so comforting and. Yeah, those were not things I wanted or needed to hear in that moment. Uh, however, I did explain to my children cuz I was in hosp or in Vancouver for a few months following the accident.

Cherie: I did tell them when we go back home, a a few things are gonna happen. Uh, people are gonna see you, they're gonna run up to you, they're gonna hug you and they're gonna cry all over you. Mm-hmm. . There are other people that are gonna see you turn white and turn. because they don't know what to say to you.

Cherie: And I need you to know that both those things come from a place of love. Oh. And so just remember that no matter what reaction people give you, or even when they say things that hurt you or don't feel right to you, that all of those things are coming from a place of love. And that's probably the best advice I could have given my kids when we came out of.

Karen: That that is how, how did you know to 

Cherie: give that advice? Like, you know, I always say I hit my head really hard and it shook some stuff up. Cause I'm not usually that kinda person. But for whatever reason, it just as I was having some quiet moments with my kids and, and you know, we're getting ready to go back home and, and to see people again, I just felt it was really important.

Cherie: that they not be more traumatized by the things that may happen when we get home. Yeah. They've been through so much already. I just, I just didn't know. And even like the fact that I survived, there was a time they didn't know if that was gonna happen. Yes. They, they didn't know if they were gonna lose us both that day, so.

Karen: Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . And then, oh, and then what? And then what happened? Like, , how wa how was life in recovery? How long did it take you to, um, heal from your injuries and, and tell, tell us a little bit about. 

Cherie: Well, I, the last surgery I've had regarding my accident was in 2019. Mm-hmm. , so the accident was in 2010 and I was still having surgeries in 2019.

Cherie: So it's, it's been a really, really long process. Um, I was in Vancouver from the time they got me stabilized and they flew me out of Vander hoof to Vancouver. Uh, I was in Vancouver till. I think the eighth or 9th of April until the 3rd of July. Mm-hmm. , uh, and during that time, I was only in the hospital till the end of April, and then I was in an apartment where I was close to the hospital so I could do rehab every day.

Cherie: I believe it was twice a day. The first year is still kind of fuzzy for me cuz I was still believer and injured. Um, but, uh, but I was home fairly quickly. And, but I do remember saying to the physiotherapist when I was in Vancouver, I said, all right, hockey starts in September. Mm-hmm. , we gotta pick this up.

Cherie: and he's like, oh, Shari, you're not playing hockey this September. And I said, well, you know, we'll, we'll see, we'll see. And you know, a couple weeks go by and I said, look, I'm, I'm frustrated. This is not going fast enough. I've told you mm-hmm how hockey starts in September and I'm still on crutches. . Now again, I've had some fairly extensive injuries, but I'm very stubborn, , very stubborn.

Cherie: I've told you, he said, not this year. Next year you'll play hockey. And I just looked at my, I said, you are not the boss of me. Mm-hmm. . And I got home, I got a rehab lady set up who happens to be one of my close friends, and she helped me with my rehab every day. And when our team started in September on the.

Cherie: I started on the ice in that September. It was not pretty. I had zero muscles on my body. Um, I was very shaky, but I, I didn't miss a practice. I was back on the ice. The accent was the 4th of April, and I was back on the ice in the middle of September. Tell 

Karen: me about that first moment back on the ice. 

Cherie: Well, there was a couple of things because my husband was a big hockey, um, supporter in our area, so that's actually where we held the memorial, was the hockey rink.

Cherie: And it just seemed so perfect and so fitting and it was amazing. And it was huge. So it was able tohold all the people that wanted to come and it was lovely. , but when I started hockey, of course, again, I was brain injured and things don't kind of click in. Mm-hmm. , I was excited and Gunn Ho and I was the first one out on the bench to wait for practice to start, and I looked around and went, wow.

Cherie: The last time I was here was Dave's service. . Yeah. And I cried. And I cried and I cried and I was so glad I was the first one out on the bench. Cause I could have that moment to myself. And I just, I, it just never, it just never occurred to me that I would have that emotional moment, right? Mm-hmm. . And then I got my hold myself.

Cherie: The other lady started coming out and I'm like, okay, oh, I'm excited. Let's do this. And I put my foot on the ice and I put my other foot down and I pushed off to go. But my body was remembering what it was supposed to do, but I had no muscles and I almost fell right on my face, the very first down on the ice

Cherie: And then I was like, oh no. And then I was leaning on my stick and I was just like a, you know, a little five year old out there, a little deer just trying to, just trying to get myself going. But, but it was exciting and scary, but it was so necessary and I've, I've said this time and time again. . The hockey ladies were, were my family.

Cherie: Yeah. And you know, when you're a mom and you're busy and you're a wife, when you have something like that in your life that you're just Cherie, you're not, You know Dave's wife and you're not Barb's mom and you're not, you know, whoever you are at work that day, you're just Cherie. And so that was so important for me to get that back and to have that support of those women and men.

Cherie: They supported me hard. We. . Yeah, it was, it was great. And I just, I can, couldn't be more grateful for those women in my life. And hockey, hockey has now brought me my new fella. That's where I met my current boyfriend was actually playing hockey In Scotland. In Scotland, yes. I, I joined a world traveling hockey team.

Cherie: Uh, and I've been to Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Prague, Australia. Scotland and then this year he and I went together to the Newfoundland trip. So, uh, yeah, when I was in Scotland, it was my fifth trip I think, and it was his first and we met there and yeah, the rest is history we'll say 

Karen: so. Wow. And so you've been together with him since?

Cherie: Uh uh, we met in 2018 and I moved out here to Ontario in 2019. . 

Karen: That's right. You're in Ontario now. Oh yeah. From BC to Ontario and there. So there's, there's so, so many different layers in there. Um, like number one, the, the incredible, uh, resilience and you call it stubborn. It's, it's, you know, to, to. take no for an answer to say, I'm a hockey player, this is what I do.

Karen: Um, but also having that, um, that knowledge to, to know how to prepare your children, how other people are going to approach them. Is this something that. you had experienced before. You said you had had a, a shake, but what, what do you do for your work? Or what have you worked in? Are you in? Um, uh, 

Cherie: I've actually, I, I run home daycare for 15 years.

Cherie: Oh wow. Yeah. Uh, when my kids were little, which is perfect because then I can. With my kids as well. Yeah. Uh, and it's crazy to see those little ones that I looked after to grow up and graduate from high school. That's been crazy. Um, and then I worked in a furniture store for a little while and then I worked at a bank for a little while and that's where I was working when we had the accident.

Cherie: So, 

Karen: yeah. So you definitely. Have, have that, um, people knowledge. Yeah. And even right down to the little ones. And, and I think that that is a, um, you know, for I, for lack of a better term, and I think it is a good term, it's a superhuman skill to be able to, to know that and prepare. And I, I just think that that's beautiful.

Karen: So in the, in that decade, I, you know, what, what is life after loss like, like what, what? , what are the, some of the things that you, um, experience? How, how, how do you get up in the morning and say, 

Cherie: yeah. Yeah. That, that was hard at first. Like, that was, that was the hardest thing I, coming home and I hadn't been to our home since the accident and coming home the first time.

Cherie: Um, that was tough. And walking into our bedroom and, and seeing our unmade bed cuz we were in a hurry to leave for the hockey tournament. Um, that was, that was really, really, really hard. Um, I actually, and this is kind of disgusting, but I know there's probably, you know, other widows out there that could, um, relate to it, but I couldn't change the sheets.

Cherie: Mm-hmm. . , I, I just couldn't do it every, cuz it still smelled like Dave. Yeah. And every time I thought, okay, it's, it's been some time now, you've, you've gotta change these sheets. I would just cry and cry and cry and cry. And I went, okay, not to today, then. Mm-hmm. . And I gave myself that grace and, you know, at this point I couldn't even tell you how long it was before I could finally do it, but I just went Okay.

Cherie: Today I'm gonna change the sheets, and today I could mm-hmm. . And so I think a big part of it is giving yourself grace to feel how you're gonna feel. Yeah. Because you don't know and, and everybody's different. Uh, a friend of mine lost her husband not long after I lost mine, and, and she felt so guilty for not approaching.

Cherie: You know, she was of the kind, I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything. And, and when her husband passed away, I went out to her place right away and she said, I, I just feel awful. Here you are. And I didn't do that. And I just said to her, dude, we all. , we all grieve differently and, and you know, I, I don't hold anything against you.

Cherie: We all do things in the way that makes us more comfortable. And I, I think I do, I think if we have to give ourselves some grace, um, the first few months we're quite difficult. My daughter was Weight University. My son was still at home with me, but I. , you know, I would go to bed crying every night cuz I missed Dave and I missed, I just missed having him there and, and I'm not gonna lie, there were some really, really dark times where, you know, the, the bottle of pain medication was looking pretty tasty.

Cherie: And it would've been a lot easier if I'd have just died that day and just, and then I'd be with him and I wouldn't have to live without him and I wouldn't have to live with this all in my heart. But, but I knew my kids had been. and I just, I just, no matter how badly I wanted that relief, I just knew I could not do that to my children.

Cherie: Yeah. Yeah. 

Karen: And so it, it's, your kids were a large portion of, of your recovery and your hockey community. Yeah. And so, so what I'm hearing is, is that, , you know, uh, with the, with the hockey community especially, it's like you, as far as, um, a well-rounded life, you had already adopted something that you loved outside of everything else.

Karen: Mm-hmm. , right? Mm-hmm. . And so that was there to catch you when, when you most needed it and Absolutely. And so on, in, on this podcast, we always, I always try to, um, encourage people to be proactive with their life. Um, cuz a lot of times we react to what happens and it's a lot easier if we have those fundamentals in, in place.

Karen: Like, okay, what am I gonna do for my mindset? That could be, you know, prayer, it could be, um, you know, just always continuing to learn self-awareness and what am I gonna do for my body? How am I gonna keep it energetic? and, and fueled, well not necessarily 

Cherie: skinny , right? Like just like, well for me, the exercise, not only did it help with me mentally cuz I was having to do physio all the time was I knew that if I didn't do it then all the other things that I wanted to do in my life, I just simply wouldn't be able to do.

Cherie: That's 

Karen: right. Because that's, you know, that is the third layer is purpose. , what am I doing that's purposeful, that's giving something to the world. Mm-hmm. . Right. And those are the three active layers that make us an ecosystem. Mm-hmm. . And that's my belief. And you're, you are here right in front of me. I, I an absolute, um, image of that and, and of resilience and.

Karen: Strength and, and so much more. And we look at present time and, um, now you are with a new man and, and you met Dave when you were young in high 

Cherie: school. Uh, I met Dave when I was, just before I turned 19 actually. Yeah, yeah. Uh, I had moved from Prince George, uh, to Burns Lake and I had been there a couple of months and that's when I met Dave.

Cherie: So, yeah. And, 

Karen: and so then now, you're with, um, you're, you have found love again. Mm-hmm. , and you've moved now to Ontario. So tell me about, um, this new newer person in your life. I guess it's been a few years now, .Cherie: Well, what's so great is, is we both have. We both, because we're both older. He's a few years older than I am.

Cherie: We have a past and, and we accept that about each other. And, um, I couldn't, I couldn't be with anyone who didn't understand how much of my life. Dave still is and is every day, and he's still a part of the kids' life. My grandkids know Dave. . Yeah, because my kids talk about him all the time. My granddaughter, oh my gosh.

Cherie: Uh, she keeps talking about who she wants to come to her birthday party, and she keeps talking about how Papa Dave needs to come too. Aw. And that's because he's so present in their lives, because he's still alive, because they still talk about him, which I think is so incredible. So, and, and my new fella, uh, he's very, very, , much supportive of me talking.

Cherie: I've got pictures of Dave in the house mm-hmm. , um, you know, and, and we just talk about him because he, he is a part of my past. Yes. And, you know, he's a part of who I am and, and the person that, that he fell in love with. So, and he's been just so great about that. So. 

Karen: Yeah. And I, I think that was another question I was going to ask you actually is if you, if you're, if you still talk to,

Karen: Like if you, 

Cherie: I know with I, I don't actually talk to him as much as I used to. I actually used to write letters to him. Oh, okay. I had a journal and that's when I felt I needed to say something to him. Whether I was angry at him, whether, you know, it was Barbara graduated from university or you know, something happened in my life.

Cherie: Things I just wanted to tell him, I would, I'd write my dear Dave letters, so. Mm-hmm. , um. . I, I haven't done that for a long time now, and I think it's more just because I don't feel, I don't feel that pull anymore. Right. He's still here, he's still with us. But it's, it's, it's, it's changed and it's changed for the better because I'm not.

Cherie: I'm not, um, living in that anymore. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. 

Karen: and I, I know it's not the same. I know it is not the same losing a parent as it is losing a spouse. But I remember like running, when I was running, that would be when I was doing half marathons in marathons, was out there on the road where I would talk to my.

Karen: And so, and now, you know, it's, it's been 16 years. I very rarely talk to him, but I do go out for a run, even though I'm not a runner anymore on his birthday . 

Cherie: Oh, yes. Because 

Karen: I feel like, I guess it's because the brain turns off just enough when you feel like you're like pounding pavement down the road and you're about to die.

Karen: Yeah. Of like exhaustion, , and the brain is shut off. So it allows. Window to open up and talk to dad. And, um, so it just feels kind of like a, it's, it's something that I always do on his birthday, um, and, you know, special occasions and whatnot or, uh, you know, sometimes I'll just catch myself, but not nearly as often as, yeah.

Karen: You know, as I did before. I healed like I always felt guilt for, um, not calling him one last time I was supposed to call him before I left and I put it off. Yeah. And so once I forgave myself for that guilt mm-hmm. Cherie: which took years Oh yeah. , 

Karen: I, I was able to, like, I, I don't feel the need and the pressure anymore, so I can kind of, I can kind of relate, and I know it's not on the same, it's not the same person, 

Cherie: but loss is loss, right?

Cherie: Yeah, that's true. And yeah, I, I went to some grief counseling afterwards and it made a huge difference. But I, I distinctly remember going in one day. Being a total wreck. And I said to the lady, you know, I've been doing everything I can to try and say goodbye to him. And I just, I just, I can't, I don't know.

Cherie: I don't know how to do it. I don't know what to do. I never got the opportunity. And, you know, and she said, what do you mean? I said, well, you know what they say, you have to let go. You have to say goodbye. You have to take these steps and do these things. And she said, why? Mm-hmm. . I said, what do you. . She said, if you don't want to say goodbye to Dave, why do you think you have to?

Cherie: And I was like, like, even now saying that again, I get goosebumps because I thought, you know what? I don't have to. And that freed me in such a way like, Because I did, I didn't want to and I wasn't ready and that wasn't a thing I ever wanted to do. So I've, I've never said goodbye to Dave. Yeah. And I think because for me, that's so final and his life isn't over yet.

Cherie: Mm-hmm. , like, he's still so alive in things I do. And things our children do and things our grandchildren do. My grandson's named after him. We have lots of days in our lives . So, um, it's. Yeah. So, but that was a really big aha moment for me. Mm-hmm. , that was probably one of the best moments. Like, I had lots of breakthroughs in counseling and stuff, but that was one of the biggest ones for me was knowing that just because society says that this is the way things should be done doesn't mean it's right for you.

Cherie: Yeah. And, and so, yeah, I. I, I've never said goodbye to Dave and I I don't plan to, I plan to say hello again one day. . That is, that 

Karen: is so beautiful. That right there is, is so gold. Um, you know, lessons to live by and, uh, and the fact that, you know it.

Karen: you have so much to give the world just who you are and what you've just shared with us. Um, it's, it's incredible. And you give me goosebumps. Oh, and, and lucky me. I, I get, I get to connect again with you this 

Cherie: way. Um, 

Karen: I just have, I have uh, one more question here before we, we close the show. Um, after everything you've experienced, if you could go back to your 18 year old self with one piece of advice, what would it be?

Cherie: I think I'd have to say,

Cherie: Live in grace. Give people grace. Give yourself grace. Don't get so caught up in, in the little things that just don't matter. I know it's so cliche, but it's so true. Like, I, I, I, I remember , Dave used to always love to hug me or touch me or kiss me or whatever when I'm up to my elbows and soapy dishes, or I'm cleaning the toilet or I'm bent over doing the tub, and that's when he wanted a hug.

Cherie: And I'm just like, Oh, would you just go away? And I, I, I saw someone on TV and they said, it's because they appreciate you so much in that moment for what you're doing. Mm-hmm. . And so I, when he would do that, I would just kind of go, okay. And I would just let him hug me and Yeah, I love you too. And, you know, and then he go away and then I could finish what I'm doing.

Cherie: And so I wish I'd done that more, and I wish I'd done that for more things. But it's, it's those. That grace of, of just, yeah. Give, give, give yourself, and give the people around you more. Grace. 

Karen: I love that. That is such a word. And, and allow yourself that love. Like just to stop and, and just to receive it.

Karen: Yeah, absolutely. 

Cherie: Yeah. 

Karen: Um, so actually I have one who's your favorite hockey? 

Cherie: Well, uh, I am a huge supporter of the Washington Capitals because my boyfriend happens to play on it. I don't know if you've heard of him. His name is Alex Ovechkin and he's fabulous

Cherie: He is my hockey boyfriend. He has been for a long time. The reason it hasn't gotten any more than that is just cuz he hasn't met me. That's all . That's, 

Karen: that's Well, and it'd be a given then. And that, that would just be, 

Cherie: that's a whole other podcast, you know, like it's a whole 

Karen: other topic there. 

Cherie: And I don't know if you know, but he just scored 800 goals the other day, so it was very, 

Karen: I didn't, I didn't.

Karen: My, um, my cousin, uh, second cousin is Ray Bourque of Boston Bruins. Oh, okay. Um, so I mean, obviously he's not playing anymore, I don't think. Yeah. Um, and he's a second cousin, so he is kind of removed, but I, I still, when I was a kid it was like Boston B Broons all the way, and then, and then it was like my son's hockey team is my favorite hockey team, and now it's like what Hockey and I, and I.

Karen: And I look at you and I'm like, that brave girl. She's out on the ice, she's getting beat around. I can't even stand up on 

Cherie: skates. , you are 

Karen: standing up balancing with a stick and, and shooting things at people with not getting hit. I find that, um, legendary and to know that you're doing that after everything that you've shared with.

Karen: You truly are a gift. Um, oh, thank you to, to me, to have me in my life a true inspiration for me. And also, um, tell the listeners. . 

Cherie: Uh, well, I hope that, uh, I've answered all your questions and I hope that anyone who's listening, uh, can get something out of what I've said or, or, you know, get a little bit of comfort or some clarity.

Cherie: Yeah, 

Karen: that's, it's, uh, um, it's a big gift when you can share your story so courageously and openly and be so candid. So, For that. Thank you so much. And if you want to follow the Adventures of Cherri, she is on Instagram. I'll put her Instagram and the show notes here. Um, instagram.com. Slash Granny Mac three

Karen: Now what, what, tell me a little bit about that Granny Mac 

Cherie: three. Is that cuz you have, oh, ma McEntire is the last name. Oh yeah. Yes. I was a granny and my hockey number's three . I love it. I love, 

Karen: so that link will be in the show notes. Do you wanna connect with Cherie and, you know, um, give her, you know, lots of likes on her posts because you're truly a superstar in our eyes.

Karen: Uh, thank you so much for 

Cherie: being here. Aw, thanks Karen. It's been so great to connect with you again. Absolutely.