Not the Car That Matters: Alex Ovechkin’s Good Deed and Its Lasting Impact on Ann, Washington Ice Dogs

Photo: Melissa Schaab
“I think he said card,” Melissa Schaab said to her son Matthew. “I think he’s going to give Ann a card. Not a car.”
“But play the video again.”
That was the scene late Sunday night at the Schaab’s Laurel, MD home. Melissa’s 15-year-old son had been sent a video clip from his friends. It was of Alex Ovechkin speaking to reporters after his fifth career All-Star Game. The future Hall of Fame forward had mentioned Matthew’s sister.
The moment was unexpected, surreal.
“He means card. He’s going to send Ann a card.”
A 2015 Honda Accord is $22,105. A “Thinking of you” card by Hallmark is maybe $3.99.
He couldn’t mean car.
“Then I got on the computer and googled a little bit and saw more about it,” Melissa said. “It was all just sort of unbelievable. This is crazy. This is not happening.”
It was.
By Ian Oland 8 years ago