Jordin Tootoo fought many battles on the ice during his NHL career as he was willing to drop the gloves at any time to defend a teammate or himself. One of his biggest battles, however took place off the ice as he fought against alcoholism for several years before finally getting himself clean and sober. Now, the 37-year-old is celebrating a big milestone in his sobriety.
Tootoo took to Twitter Saturday to thanks his family and friends for helping him in his fight against alcoholism, while showing off his newly acquired 10-year sobriety medal.
"Thank you to my wife and daughters for all your support," said Tootoo. "Family, friends and the hockey world has kept me on the right path. I lead by example to stop one cycle and start a new cycle for our indigenous communities. The best is yet to come!"
After 723 NHL games with the Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils and Chicago Blackhawks, Tootoo retired from professional hockey in October of 2018 to focus on giving back to the Indigenous community. The native of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut started the Team Tootoo Foundation in 2015, which was inspired by the suicide of his older brother Terence back in 2002. The main focus of The Team Tootoo Fund is to raise awareness for suicide prevention and anti-bullying programs for youths at risk. Having dealt with mental illness and suicidal thoughts himself in the past, Tootoo has been a positive voice for individuals struggling with these afflictions, often speaking out and sharing his story.
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