Just weeks after watching his transgender father shoot and kill three family members in the stands during one of his hockey games, Colin Dorgan had cause for celebration on the ice.
Dorgan, a high school hockey star in Rhode Island, scored the game-winning goal in overtime to send his high school team to the state’s Division 2 championship final on Wednesday.
The goal – which came on a breakaway as Dorgan was able to slide the puck through the Portsmouth goalie’s five-hole – caused a raucous celebration as his teammates and coaches with Blackstone Valley Schools Co-op hit the ice to celebrate with him.
What happened during the shooting?
On Feb. 16, Robert Dorgan – who also went by Roberta Esposito – went on a shooting spree at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, RI, killing three people before turning the gun on himself.
Aidan Dorgan, 23, was killed alongside his mother Rhonda, 52, while Colin had been playing on the ice, watching helplessly as the tragedy unfolded.
Colin’s grandfather, Gerald, also was among the injured and succumbed to his injuries days later.
Colin’s grandmother Linda also was critically hurt along with family friend Thomas Geruso.
The Rhode Island Interscholastic League had suspended play in the wake of the mass shooting.
What did Colin say after the game?
Colin was clearly emotional during the celebration and later said scoring the goal was a “surreal moment.”
“It was the greatest moment of my life,” Dorgan told WPRI after scoring the winning goal. “My good buddy fed me the puck and I could hear the crowd … it was a surreal moment.”
Dorgan paid tribute to his late family members by wearing their initials on his jersey.
“We have to stick together … it’s a hard time for everyone,” he told the outlet. “We have each other’s back and we truly love each other.”
Blackstone Valley head coach Chris Librizzi said he was also overcome with emotions by the moment.
“I literally cried like a baby, the floodgates opened,” he told WPRI. “When I saw him open, I knew he was golden.”
The championship game is set to take place in Providence on March 18.