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Glenview skater hits the ice for charity
Laura Curley with her son Nick at the Glenview Ice Center. | Michael Schmidt~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: October 11, 2012 4:44PM
GLENVIEW — Seventy-five miles down, 25 more to go for young Nick Curley.
“And for 50 miles, I skated backward. I’m a hockey defenseman,” said the 7 year old, making sure you knew he turns eight in a few days.
In July, Curley agreed to ice skate 100 miles in raising funds for the Danny Did Foundation.
Since then, he’s been skating weekly among 20 ice rinks in the Chicago area and Rockford, racking up five miles per skate.
His effort is called the “100 miles for Danny” campaign.
On Dec. 12, 2009, at age 4, Danny Stanton died of an epileptic seizure in his Chicago home. Curley’s father, Brian, grew up with Danny’s father, Mike, in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood.
So far, the foundation has provided 130 monitors for seizure-prone people in 37 states and has increased awareness about epilepsy.
“I just wanted to help cure this disease and buy monitors,” said Curley, of Chicago.
His next trial on ice is 3-4:15 p.m. Saturday at the McFetridge Sports Center, 3843 N. California Ave., Chicago, skating the 81st through 85th mile. On Oct. 17, he will hit the ice at a Chicago Wolves game.
Children are invited to skate with Curley.
“When I’m out there skating, I think about the people I’m helping, music and what’s for dinner,” he said, laughing.
His mother, Laura, upon learning about her son’s fundraiser wanted him to start with something easier than a four-month undertaking.
“A little smaller, like a lemonade stand, maybe, but he wanted it big. He’s an all or nothing seven-year old. If he loves it, you can’t get him away,” said Laura, recalling how at age 3 her son vowed to learn all 50 states on a map.
“He knew all the states by 4 years old and their capitals. My son usually finishes what he starts.”
Doing the math, Laura said at each rink skate he completes five miles in 30 to 35 minutes.
“So it has been five to 10 miles a week, but that’s been reduced since school started,” she said.
Curley also plays hockey for the Glenview Stars Gold Elite Mites of the Northern Illinois Hockey League, ages seven and eight.
“He really works hard on the ice,” said his coach, Glenview resident Rob Emme.
“Last year he was on the bronze team and skipped over silver going to top of the heap to gold,” said Emme, a 1981 graduate of Glenbrook South High School in Glenview where he played for the hockey Titans.
“This fundraiser is very unique. I give Nick a lot of credit,” he said.
To date, current and former National Hockey League players have supported Nick’s project through appearances and skating with him, such as Denis Savard, Duncan Keith, Darrin Madeley and Brett Lebda of Buffalo Grove.
For more information about the Danny Did Foundation, visit www.dannydid.org.
