Royal Oak Guns & Hoses Hockey Game Helps Deaf Boy Do Gymnastics

ROYAL OAK, MI — The Royal Oak Police Department and the Royal Oak Fire Department are ready to face off again in the annual Guns & Hoses Charity Hockey Game April 14. The teams will hit the ice at 7:30 p.m. at the Lindell Ice Arena and proceeds this year will benefit 9-year-old Will DeMerrit and his family. Will was born deaf and was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes in 2015.

Sgt. Patrick Stanton, of the Royal Oak Police Department, and Sgt. Tony Cattini, of the Royal Oak Fire Department, co-founded the event in 2010. To date, the hockey games have raised more than $57,000 for local charities.

“This is our eighth year, we wanted to play along on the rivalry between us,” Stanton said about the annual fundraiser. “It’s always a competitive game and a lot of fun for everyone.”

In the past, the games have gone to support a woman fighting breast cancer, the family of a slain trooper, a K9 advocacy program that helps comfort kids going through court trials and an autism foundation.

“We like to keep it local, as a grassroots type of thing,” Stanton added.

The DeMeritt family, of Lake Orion, was chosen this year to help make Will’s life as normal as can be. His mother, Jennifer DeMeritt, said he requires an interpreter for all his activities -- and he’s one active young man.

“Will loves to be active,” she said about the third grader. “He loves gymnastics, loves to be outside, to ride his bike, go camping and swimming. He likes being with other kids and friends from school. He’s also a funny character; he’s got quite a sense of humor and is sometimes considered the class clown because he likes to make others laugh.”

Recently, Will has started competitive gymnastics, somethings he’s been working his way up to for years. The DeMeritt family currently has to pay out of pocket for their American Sign Language interpreter for gymnastics, living week to week. The money from the Guns & Hoses charity game will cover the cost of the interpreter and help with the medication for his diabetes, DeMeritt said.

“We’re very blessed to have all that we have in this world and to have them think of us, that we are worthy of being helped, it’s extremely humbling,” she said. “All you want to do as a parent is to make sure your kids have all the opportunities they can. To be able to do something he loves and finally compete, it’s a wonderful feeling. We can’t wait to pay it forward.”

Currently, the cops lead the series, 5-2, with a five-game winning streak the firefighters are hoping to break this year.

Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at the Royal Oak Police Department, the Royal Oak Fire Department or at the John Lindell Ice Arena on the day of the event. The ice arena is located at 1403 Lexington Blvd., near Crooks Road. For more information, call (248) 824-3550 or email patricks@romi.gov.