Like many other Canadians yesterday I was following the epic
story of SpiderMable as she made the rounds of the internets, social media and
the antiquated “tee-vee”. If ever there was a story to warm the heart as
temperatures begin to dip, this was it. An already ultra proud Edmontonian, this entire operation made my heart swell with pride in the City of Champions even more.
In case you missed it, the “SpiderMable caper was all part of an elaborate, city-wide manhunt set up
by the The Children’s Wish Foundation. Mable Tooke has been fighting cancer since being
diagnosed two years ago with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer
of the white blood cells.
While in treatment, the six-year-old has been reading comic
books. Her favourites are the 1960s-era Spider-Man. So when The Children’s Wish Foundation came
knocking, Mable said what she wanted most was to meet her hero,
confessing she often imagines herself fighting crime like him.”
And so with orders from Mayor Iveson to go save the City, Mable took off across Edmonton on a man hunt for the ages, solving a series of clues leading up to a showdown with Mysterio and his kidnapping victim Andrew Ference.
This is why Edmonton is awesome. From the intricate coordination and
planning that went into making this epic day for a wonderful little lady, to everyone involved in the caper itself – this was a first class event from start to finish.
Mayor Don Iveson did a great job of playing the part at the start of the man hunt. If he isn’t re-elected at any point in his life there is a second career waiting in LA as “concerned Head of State” in every disaster movie ever to be made. Police Sargent Steve Sharpe was great, too — solemn in the face of super villainy and calm in his appeals to have Magneto return the Oilers’ C14 safely.
And finally, infinite props go out to Oilers’ captain Andrew Ference for being the
victim and playing it up tremendously at the grand finale. Watching Ference ham
it up waiting for SpiderMable, you could tell he is cut from a better cloth than
the rest of us mortals.
While he is involved in numerous charities and is fitter than Chris Chelios on his fittest day, the rest of us sit on the
couches in our sweats eating chips and throwing garbage at the TV yelling about how “a 6D should not be captain!”
As someone who publicly miscalled Sam Gagner being the next captain of the Edmonton Oilers, I can say without a shadow of a doubt Dallas Eakins made the right call naming Ference captain during his brief tenure as Oilers head coach. His community involvement and general great human being-ness is why Ference deserves
to be captain until he decides to step down. The man is a one man UNESCO World
Heritage site and one of the better people to ever wear an Oilers Jersey.
Bravo, Sir.
Oh, and we see you there, Connor McDavid – out in front of the building grinning from ear to ear. If this guy can win the hearts and minds of Edmontonians with the same
skill that will lead him to shattering scoring records we are in for a treat for the next
15 years.
A big thank you goes out to SpiderMable. Right
when we needed Andrew Ference the most, she saved him from Mysterio. Good luck
dropping the puck tonight at the Oilers game too, Miss – all of the OilersNation will be
cheering you on from the stands and around the World.
Spidermable is the hero this city needs.
Said from day one. Captaincy is more than on ice product, something 40 – something arm-chair GM’s and keyboard thugs will never understand.
Dude is leader on the ice, off the ice, outside of Rexall, everywhere.
Proud day to be from Edmonton for sure. Let’s hope Mable kicks cancer’s ass like she did Mysterio. The young lady still has a lot of adventures left to discover.
Amazing story. Truly proud to be from Edmonton.
What a class act by Ference and great to see McDavid make an appearance.
I hope this girls wish was everything she hoped it could be!
Damn allergies are still acting up.
A great writeup about a really great thing. Nice work Wanye. (Nice Chelios reference, too.)
SpiderMable is my new favourite superhero.
No idea who the costume-wearers were but huge respect to them for playing the parts so well. Can’t imagine those heels on Black Cat were super easy to run around in!
Andrew Ferrence is a hell of a guy and yes, he was absolutely the right choice for captain at the time Eakins named him such (though I also had a lot of respect for the fire Gagner brought most nights. Eakins was new to the team and didn’t have the connection to the players that would have perhaps swayed him to pick one of the young ‘veterans’ already in the room. Unfortunately that same distance is needed now because as our TVs have all heard half a hundred times ‘a 6D should not be captain’. Furthermore, and no one wants to belabour the point, we aren’t talking about a 6D even, are we?
I’ve spent the last however many years complaining about old boys infesting the team’s coaching and managerial ranks (and I haven’t been alone), but finding a way to keep Ferrence in the city and connected to the team while shifting him off the ice would be a big win for the Oilers.
This was such an awesome story and as yesterday went on I found myself doing nothing but follow the story. Was such a proud moment for the city of Edmonton and everyone involved. That little girl you could tell was having the time of her life. Props to the Oilers, McDavid and especially Andrew Ference. A job so well done boys.
So proud to be an edmontonian after this.
McDavid was there to learn what being a captain and community leader is all about.
Ference is one of those rare athletes that is worth admiring beyond the field of play, he makes the world a better place. I am hoping he can find his game again and we get a couple of more good years out of him.
Mable is just about the cutest superhero ever, and I love that she’s into the 60s Spiderman, that Mysterio costume was right out of the 60s cartoon.
Love the trolls who come on here and trash the comments for a story like this where a sick and dying kid gets to live out a wish. You must be real winners.
I wish I could have seen this. For some reason, I couldn’t watch. It is such an amazing thing that the city got together for, any time I tried to watch or read about it, I started to bawl.I have 2 little ones and my 3 year old wants to dress like Spiderman every day. I couldn’t help but put myself in those parents’ shoes.
So proud of Edmonton.
I wish Mysterio would have gotten away with Ference. The perfect excuse to cut Mr #6D
Some people just don’t get it.
Wow.
What a dick comment!!
Do yourself a favour, look down at your fingers. Take a closer look.
YOU used those to let the world know that you are human GARBAGE.
Do you think this story has anything to do with hockey?
This was a story about a little girl, one who has been through more in her six years then a TURD like you could ever possibly contend with.
SpiderMable and the Tooke family will be in the prayers of Edmonton citizens for ever. And you made this about hockey?
Its a touching feel good story and great idea. That wasn’t the point of my sarcastic post. I see humor in fantasizing about a superhero villain actually succeeding in kidnapping an on the way to the glue factory d-man with 2 years left on his contract.
So cute, and Ference is always willing to do his part for the community.
Here comes back to the question about C, Ference deserves the C every way possible except on ice. I don’t think that C will change hand this season regardless if Ference will spend most of his time as HS, McLellan stripped C from Thornton last season but Ference did not do anything that should get his C stripped. McLellan may not treat the letter C with the same ideal as some hockey traditionalist.
I expect Wilson had more to do with that than McLellan.
I don’t understand Edmonton fan’s concern with Ferrence being Captain. This is an Edmonton Oiler thing. Fans have no idea how relationships work within the dressing room and on the ice.
As far as fans are concerned, what does a Captain do? Get interviewed more often? Ferrence is fine at that.
When they do get around to making the change, there will be many factors we’re not privy to that will help make that decision.
Mod Edit: I am a moron and my stupid comment has been removed
Yes it was.
And at risk of being unPC, stop being such a miserable pr1ck.
What the Children’s Wish Foundation, The City of Edmonton, the media, and The Edmonton Oilers did yesterday should be celebrated.
It is undoubtedly be a very special experience and memory for a little girl who will not have many opportunities remaining.
It’s also a reminder of the difference we can make to everyone by putting aside all our BS and spread a little happy.
Thanks for the summary Wayne. I enjoyed listening to some of this develop while on the road yesterday and it the pics added a nice touch. Tip of the hat to one and all.
You gotta be kidding me?
I would never wish the pain and heartache the Tooke family has had to endure on anyone…. But you are making it VERY difficult.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend people. It is a great thing the oilers did. I just think it has been too publicized. I prefer deeds like this to be kept quiet. I think it means more that way. Not to mention how seriously the story was covered. They made it seem like something actually happened until you heard the whole story. This is my pet peeve against the media. Nothing more. They are taking advantage of a girl who is terminally ill as far as I am concerned.
Stuff like this (visits to hospitals, street hockey with sick kids, etc) goes on all the time generally un-noticed by the public. They can’t do a big public thing like this every week, so this one was a big one.
What is your problem? Looking for things to bother you in something like this is just plain miserable.
Why can’t you let it be the good thing that it was? Would that also annoy you too much?
I wish Andrew had played his entire career with the oil, he would have been adored like Smyth. It’s really too bad we only got his twilight years, but im still very glad to have him. Can you think of anyone who better represents his hockey team and community, he’s cut from the same cloth as guys like Koivu.
If only those legs would give him a couple more years. Getting old sucks.
I’m also not from edmonton, but every now and then the people of that city surprise me. Big Props to all.
Along with the Oilers, great leadership at the city of Edmonton, along with EPS, helped make this happen. That’s something to be proud about.
Things like this help boost morale, pride, and our image worldwide, all while making a little brave girl’s dream come true. It’s a win-win-win in my eyes.
Great story! Looked like tremendous fun for all those who were there to watch Spider-Mable live. She’s heroically cute, and Ference is a class act and a fine Edmontonian.
Also, hats off to the Thread Moderator for some superlative editing!
Stan Lee was just in town during the weekend, wonder if she got anything from Stan Lee.
Ferrence and PK Suban are two of the best. (Suban donated 10 million to Mtl Children’s Hospital recently. Wish there were many more like them! Not a Habs fan but worth mentioning.
Much admiration for all that do for others!