Hemsky credits family with pulling him out of a very dark place after retirement
It's never an easy task to abandon something that has been a significant part of your life, particularly if you are passionate about it. Ales Hemsky, a former first-round NHL pick, found retiring from hockey due to persistent concussion symptoms to be devastating. During a recent interview conducted in his home country of the Czech Republic, Hemsky confessed to being in a very bleak state.
"I saw nothing but emptiness everywhere. I may have made good money during my career, but so what if I lost something I love? What made me who I am? I felt like I had lost the meaning of life and I had a great wife and son at home. I was meeting perhaps every state of depression, I really thought I wasn't normal. At that time I thought I would 'throw it away'."
According to Hemsky, his mental state began to affect not only his home life but also his ability to raise his child.
"At 35, an age when I still wanted to keep playing, I was just aimlessly changing diapers and refusing to admit to myself that hockey was over. When my son cried, I reacted with irritation, and I'm not normally like that."
Hemsky acknowledges his wife for recognizing the change in his behavior and encouraging him to seek help. Although he has made progress, he still attends therapy sessions with a psychologist and said those hours are some of the most fulfilling moments of his life.
"No one should be put in that situation. If he does, he should definitely tell someone about it. Find at least one person to tell that you have a problem. You don't even have to tell him everything in detail. I know how hard it is myself. I've always kept everything to myself."
After being selected 13th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2001, Hemsky spent most of his career with them. He also played for Ottawa, Dallas, and Montreal. However, a severe concussion sustained during a game against Anaheim, just seven games into his stint with the Canadiens, ultimately forced him to retire. Hemsky accumulated 174 goals and 572 points in 845 NHL regular-season games.
Source: Source: Aktuality.sk
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