A Dad, a Daughter, and a Fight Beyond the Ice

For John Fontana, hockey has always been about family.

In September 2022, John took the ice for a dad-and-daughter skate with his daughter, Elise. It was supposed to be a simple opportunity to share time together on the ice—one of the many memories that hockey has given their family.

Instead, a fall changed everything.

John broke his neck during the skate. What initially appeared to be a serious hockey injury soon revealed something far more frightening. Doctors discovered that his C2 vertebra had been almost completely replaced by a tumor, along with additional tumors in his spine and leg.

John was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and began a long and difficult battle with cancer.

The months that followed brought radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and, in May 2023, a stem-cell transplant. Through it all, John faced the challenges of treatment with the same determination he had brought to the ice.

And he didn’t face them alone.

His wife and their three children—Elise and her two siblings—became an important source of strength throughout his journey. Hockey, too, became a constant thread connecting the family to friends, teammates, coaches and a community that rallied around them.

For Elise, the experience changed more than just the way she viewed hockey. It brought her closer to her dad and gave new meaning to the time they shared together.

At 16, Elise continues to pursue the game she loves, playing defense for Chicago Mission 16U and New Trier girls hockey. Her siblings have followed their own hockey paths as well.

But behind every practice, game and trip to the rink is a family that has learned firsthand that hockey is about much more than what happens between the boards.

It is about the people beside you.

It is about showing up when someone needs you.

And sometimes, it is about finding strength together when life delivers a challenge no one expected.

John’s story began with a fall on the ice. What followed has been a much bigger fight—one measured not in goals or wins, but in courage, perseverance, family and hope.

For the Fontanas, hockey remains part of that story.

And every time John and Elise share the ice, it represents something far more meaningful than a game. It represents the bond between a dad and his daughter, and a family continuing to move forward together.

As Chicago Mission celebrates Pink In The Rink this weekend they will celebrate John and all who have faced this disease with strength, courage and resilience.