The daughter of former New York Rangers star Ron Duguay is asking hockey fans and her followers for “all the prayers we can get” while sharing a heartbreaking photo of the ex-NHLer in hospital.
On Sunday, Shay Thomas posted a photo on Instagram of herself sitting at Duguay’s bedside as he continues his fight against Stage 4 colon cancer, which has spread to his liver.
“I wasn’t planning on posting anything, but I believe in the power of prayer, and right now, we need all the prayers we can get. And I know so many love him so much. Please keep our dad in your prayers,” Thomas wrote in the Instagram post.
Duguay, 69, played nearly 500 games of his NHL career for the Rangers and later became an analyst on the team for MSG Network. He has been dating former Alaska governor and U.S. vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin for several years.
Why did the family start a GoFundMe?
Duguay was diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2024, but kept it private until February of this year, when his family launched a GoFundMe to help cover his expenses.
Thomas told Us Weekly that convincing her father to seek outside help was “a fight for many months.”
“His credit card debt was going up and that’s when I told him, ‘Dad, just let me do this. I’m not going to put your name on there. Just let me do this. So many people have asked to help you. You need the help. You’ve helped people. Let them help,’ ” Thomas told the outlet.
“We spoke as a family and we said, ‘We need to make this GoFundMe. We gotta do everything we can. Because if we don’t, it’s going to kill you.’ ”
She added at the time that Duguay “had nothing left” when the family launched the fundraiser.
Since then, the page has received more than 1,100 donations totalling more than $167,000 US.
Was Duguay involved in an accident?
In July, Duguay suffered facial injuries after collapsing at home due to dehydration.
He lost all of his veneers, along with two of his natural teeth, in the fall.
Thomas shared an update about her father on Instagram at the time, suggesting he was in better spirits despite his missing teeth.
“Our dad continues to show us just how strong he is,” Thomas wrote. “On Friday, he fainted at home, was unconscious, injured a few parts of his face, and knocked out a few teeth in the fall … this time, it wasn’t from hockey. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
“Because of the cancer in his liver, along with everything his liver has endured from surgery, chemotherapy, and the pump, pressure has built up inside the liver. That pressure can back up into the stomach and cause bleeding.
“The ulcer still needs further evaluation, but the bleeding and liver pressure are the major concerns right now.”
How was Duguay’s NHL career?
The Sudbury native is considered a Rangers great, having helped the team reach the 1979 Stanley Cup final.
He played 864 NHL games, scoring 274 goals and recording 346 assists for 620 points. He also suited up for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Duguay was named to the 1982 NHL All-Star Game as a member of the Rangers after notching 76 points in 72 games.