The ice-ing on the cake for little boy who has overcome leukemia
Luca Bear Bish, 6, sits with his dad, Ben Bish, on Friday before Luca met and practiced with members of the Blackhawks at the United Center.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Six-year-old Luca Bear Bish pulled on his Blackhawks jersey Friday morning as he does before every game on TV when getting ready to watch his hero, Patrick Kane, and the rest of the team carve up the ice.
On Friday, Luca sat on a hard wooden bench — the butterflies aflutter in his stomach — moments before Kane’s giant gloved hand reached for his and guided him onto the ice at the United Center.
For the next 30 minutes or so, Luca had his hero’s undivided attention.
“He told me how you’re supposed to shoot the puck and how to dribble with the stick,” said Luca, in the softest of voices, after the morning practice session.
Luca wants to play in the National Hockey League someday. He may just do that, now that his leukemia is in remission. Luca finished his treatments in August, his family said.
Luca and the rest of his family, who live in San Diego, California, were treated to a stay in Chicago, courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The nonprofit foundation helps fulfill the wishes of children age 2 1⁄2 to 18 who are dealing with critical illnesses.
Luca, his parents and his younger brother, Enzo, flew in Thursday. Luca’s love of the Blackhawks comes from his paternal grandfather, who is originally from Chicago.
Luca’s grandfather “finished high school early and ended up following the team for an entire year during the ‘60s,” said Luca’s father, Ben Bish. “My parents, when they got married, they walked right from City Hall to a Blackhawks game.”
Luca became a fan after Bish’s parents came to California to help out when the boy was going through treatment.
“Dad turned on a Blackhawks game and it’s been that way ever since. [Luca] watches every game,” Bish said.
Luca was treated to clattering hockey stick applause from the team shortly before he stepped onto the ice — as well as a post-practice news conference.
For Luca’s father and mother, Natalia Peralta, the event was a moment to savor after years of worry and uncertainty.
“For us, it’s kind of a demarcation from the last three years of a lot of hard fighting. ... It’s really a celebration for us for a really courageous and tenacious kid,” Bish said, tears welling. “I couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate.”