AUBURN — Jeanne Donovan had never met Susan Cloutier, but their sons played hockey together and that was enough to feel like she had to do something.
Before Saturday night’s game, Donovan organized half a dozen St. Dom’s hockey moms to clip 675 little white ribbons, glue on black stripes and iron a tiny “GC” and “CC #14” onto each one.
“We just thought of the pain she’s going through,” said Donovan, of Auburn. “A couple hours of lost sleep and burnt fingers from the glue gun are nothing to what she’s going through.”
On Tuesday, Ghislain “Gus” Cloutier, 49, and son Casey, 14, died in a car crash on Route 202 in Leeds. Casey attended St. Dominic Academy and played junior varsity hockey. They were on their way to Auburn at the time to meet the team bus for a tournament before they were struck head-on.
They left behind wife and mom Susan and younger brother Chase, 11, of Winthrop.
Before the doors opened at the Norway Savings Bank Arena and the hockey moms started offering the ribbons for $2 apiece, they’d raised $1,400 in donations for the family after reaching out to friends and businesses.
“We’re a very small school; we stay connected,” said Celeste Chasse of Lewiston. “Every single kid knew him.”
St. Dom’s players took the ice Saturday with No. 14 stickers — Casey’s number — on their helmets.
Athletic Director Gene Keene said it was hard to tell how much Casey’s death was weighing on students. He was a freshman and had only transferred to St. Dom’s this school year.
“He’ll be remembered,” Keene said. “Unfortunately, we only had half a year to get to know the young man. That’s the thing that hurts us — we only had that much time to get to know him.”
Before the start of the boys’ varsity match against Lewiston, St. Dom’s President Donald Fournier told the packed crowd that the family was grateful for their support.
“On behalf of the Cloutier family, I would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of support, prayer, the parents who put on the ribbons you saw when you were coming in, helping the family out in this time of need, it’s been an amazing thing,” Fournier said.
At 8:27 p.m., after he spoke, there was a moment of silence and a prayer for the Cloutiers in the arena.
By then, there were fewer than 50 ribbons left.
Donovan said she might make more Tuesday, for the funeral.
“We can’t take the pain away,” she said. “Maybe (Susan Cloutier) can put (the funds) aside to do something for her son.”
Shelby Winslow of Minot and her daughter, Adeline, wore the black and white ribbons pinned to their shirts as they watched the games. Her older daughter, Payton, plays girls varsity hockey and was in Casey’s grade at school.
The Cloutiers were very supportive parents, doing everything for their children “and then some,” Winslow said. The crash has been a reminder that life can change in the blink of an eye.
“We have to accept it and it’s unacceptable,” she said. “It’s been a sobering experience for the St. Dom’s family and so many others. They were such a wonderful family.”
Another fundraiser set up for Susan and Chase on YouCaring.com had raised more than $10,500 by Saturday night, passing the $10,000 goal.
kskelton@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
