Tampa Bay Lightning fan Tony Colton’s lasting impact on the community

Normally, a cloudy day in Maximo Park would deter most from spending the day outside and on the water, but October 11, 2016, was an exception for fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The smell of crisp salt filled the air, as waves crashed against the bows of 28 boats filling the water, the occupants eyeing the fish swimming the channel. These weren’t your everyday fishermen; this was the entourage that followed Tampa Bay Lightning Head Coach Jon Cooper out on the water in the first-ever Coop’s Catch for Kids fishing tournament, aimed to raise money and awareness for children diagnosed with pediatric cancer.

The tournament was the brainchild of Jon Cooper himself after meeting an unlikely friend, then-15-year-old Tony Colton, at the 2015 Tampa Bay Sneaker Soiree.

Tony was a guest speaker at the event thrown to commemorate Cooper for taking the Tampa Bay Lightning to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final. Tony wasn’t your typical 15-year-old; he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the age of 11. As he shared his moving story with the crowd, Cooper felt a connection with the young man, having just recently lost his father-in-law to cancer.

"“I just started thinking, ‘Wow, this kid, there is something about him, he has a future,’ and then I thought, ‘but he may not.’ I wanted to go meet him and find out more about him. I was really drawn to him. He was 15 years old but he commanded a room, spoke really well… was eloquent. And I just remember thinking, ‘bright future or no future.'” – Jon Cooper via Dan Rosen of NHL.com"

Tony quickly became close friends with Cooper after their conversation at the Soiree, offering him an open invitation to any Lightning home game that he wished to attend, including locker room access to meet the players; Cooper’s greatest gift was the creation of his annual fishing tournament, which raised $60,000 for pediatric cancer research at Moffitt Cancer Center and John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.

Tony became loved by the players and the organization, even getting to know some of the players on a first name basis, including his favorite player, Tyler Johnson. Despite the hardship he had to endure at such a young age, every player that met him commented on his radiant personality.

Tony was an active member in the community when he wasn’t rooting for the Lightning — lobbying and receiving a protein shake bar in the All Children’s Hospital for the patients to use, serving as spokesperson for the 2014 Cure Fest in Washington, D.C., raising $50,000 for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation, the All Children’s Hospital, and the Sarasota Christian School as the recipient of the Lightning Community Hero Award, along with countless other accomplishments and accolades.

Next: Tampa Bay Lightning Goalies Getting New Masks

Tony passed away on July 30, 2017, surrounded by his family and loved ones. While he is no longer with us, his memory will live on through the lasting impacts he had on the Tampa Bay Lightning community.