#55
Cathy Berlin‑Obregon is a survivor of profound loss, and hockey has become one of the most powerful forces helping her carry that grief. Cathy is a Gold Star sister, having lost her youngest sister, U.S. Air Force Major Phyllis Pelky, in the 2015 NATO helicopter crash that also injured fellow survivor‑player Col. Buff Burkel. Phyllis served alongside Buff as an Afghan Air Force advisor, and their bond in service became the bridge that connected Cathy and Buff in the aftermath of unimaginable tragedy.
The two met in October 2015 while Buff was recovering in Germany, and in their shared grief they found something rare — understanding, strength, and a friendship that would become a lifeline. When Buff later moved to the St. Louis area and discovered hockey in 2020 as a way to heal from her injuries and honor those lost, she invited Cathy to visit. During that visit, Buff convinced her to try a simple stick‑and‑puck session. Cathy’s husband immediately recognized what this could mean for her healing and told Buff, “Take her to the hockey store and get her the stuff to play.”
From that moment, Cathy fell in love with the sport — not just as a game, but as a path forward.
Hockey has since become a central part of Cathy’s grief journey. She has played for several years with a Chicago team in the Women’s Central Hockey League and is now a proud member of the D7 Leopards Hockey Club. She frequently travels to St. Louis to visit Buff, with hockey often woven into their time together — a shared ritual of healing, connection, and remembrance.
This weekend, Cathy joins us to skate in the DAWG Bowl Ladies Draft Tournament, carrying her sister’s memory with her every stride. Each October, Cathy and Buff spend the anniversary of the crash together — honoring Phyllis, honoring the others lost, and continuing their grief journey with purpose, love, and the power of doing it together, both on and off the ice.