#96
At 86 years old, Dick Dodd is stepping onto the ice for the DAWG Nation Survivor Game with the same determination that has carried him through one of the most challenging years of his life. Nearly a year ago, Dick underwent a TAVR procedure — a replacement of his aortic valve — and fully expected to be skating again the following week. But life had other plans.
The day after returning home, Dick’s heart rate crashed, sending him back to the hospital. Doctors inserted a temporary pacemaker, but complications caused him to flatline. He was revived, stabilized, and ultimately given a permanent pacemaker powered by a battery he now jokingly calls “his built‑in engine.” Every night he sleeps within six feet of a monitor that keeps watch over his heart.
At his most recent appointment, his doctor told him he has 6 years and 27 days left on that pacemaker battery — a number Dick carries not as a countdown, but as a reminder of how precious every day truly is.
Today, Dick returns to the ice not just as a player, but as a symbol of resilience, gratitude, and the unbreakable spirit of the hockey community. He skates with a full heart, deeply thankful for every moment, every breath, and every stride.