From Hating to Loving || Luke Hughes

Finally Free

Logan

Wayne Gretzky. The man. The myth. The legend. My father. 

Yes I love my dad. And my mom. And my older brother and sister. 

But that doesn't mean I feel apart of the family or anything like that. 

I was born 10 years after my siblings, at the height of my dads career. Because he and my mom had my brother and sister young, it was easier for him to balance hockey and home life. 

Throw his amazing career a couple years later and a new unexpected babygirl into the mix, that balance starts to tilt in favor of one thing: hockey. 

Of course we had our bonding moments together, like when he taught me how to skate and shoot a puck. And he probably thought that bringing me to all his hockey related things was bonding time, but it wasn't.

I hung out with the other players kids more than I did with him, learning all about them and their families. 

Yes they went through the same 8 month span where their dad was crazy busy with hockey, but in the offseason they would go on vacations together as a family, go out for dinner some nights, just spend time together. 

But not us. No. God forbid dad doesn't win the cup and has to practice all through summer. 

And even now, when he's supposed to be retired and taking time off, they can't keep him away from the rinks and TV screens. 

He's constantly traveling and reporting from different stadiums around the country, missing important days in my life that my siblings didn't have to worry about. 

My high school soccer championship game he was in Nashville for the Oilers vs Pred's game. My final had been on the calendar since May that year.

My high school graduation he was commentating for the Stanley Cup Finals in Vancouver. He knew when my graduation was in September the previous year. 

And now college move in day. It's not even hockey season yet and he couldn't make it because the draft is this weekend and he just has to be there. 

But honestly, it's whatever. I'm finally free from all that. I can make a name for myself here at college and no longer be known as Wayne Gretzkys daughter. 

My roommate, also a fellow daughter to a NHL player, and I have known each other for years. Living in different states but always making time to see each other whenever we could.

Saying goodbye to my mom who helped me unpack everything, I fall onto my bed just thinking about what the next 4 years of my life could hold.