Toby, Mariko and Bernadine Boulet. (Aaron Mahoney/LethbridgeNewsNOW) : Tyler Marr

By Aaron Mahoney/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Humboldt Broncos

April 7 to be known as Green Shirt Day in honour of Logan Boulet Effect

Mar 4, 2019 | 9:42 AM

Nearly one year after the Humboldt Broncos collision, the memories of those lost give rise to hope moving forward in the form of Green Shirt Day.

Logan Boulet was one of the 16 people killed when the Broncos team bus collided with a semi-truck.

But on April 7, 2019, Boulet’s family is launching Green Shirt Day in conjunction with the Canadian Transplant Association and Canadian Blood Services. It’s also dedicated to promoting organ donation awareness while honouring the Logan Boulet Effect that saw countless numbers of people across Canada and the United States become organ donors in honour of Logan, who had done so himself a short time before his death.

Logan’s mother Bernadine says they’re amazed at the outreach people have given to them.

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“How people have reached out from not only Alberta or Saskatchewan but across Canada. The Green Shirt Day website went live … and almost instantly we had people saying, ‘where can we get our green shirts, what can we do’,” she said.

“Logan’s the kind of guy that just stood in the background,” Bernadine continued before pausing due to the emotions, “It was not about him, it was about the team. He was the quiet leader from the background, so for Logan, this would be a lot and a bit overwhelming for him but we’re thankful what he started is going to be carried on.”

Soon after Logan’s passing, his parents decided they would try their best to go and speak anywhere they were wanted on behalf of organ donation awareness.

“It’s not about us, it’s about promoting organ donor awareness in Canada and beyond because we recognize that there are many, many people who are passing because there’s not enough organs to go around or they don’t match. That’s not what needs to happen, it has to be better than that. We’ve learnt lots about living donors, Logan is what’s called an angel donor,” Toby said breaking off a bit as emotion gripped his voice.

“We hope someday that angel donors aren’t required, that it’s all living donors or another system set up through the medical field but we’re not there yet. We’re prepared to do what people want us to do when we can go, our school districts, staff, students and friends have been extremely supportive to get us where we need to be. If someone wants us to talk, we go. It’s as simple as that.”

So, what will Green Shirt Day entail?

There will be a free family skate taking place on April 7 in Lethbridge. Following, the City of Lethbridge will light up City Hall in green.

The Boulets fly to Humboldt on April 5, where they will join the vigil and remembrance on April 6, and partake in various events with other Bronco families in attendance.

On April 8, schools in Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan are planning Green Shirt Days events. Toby said Humboldt Collegiate Institute and the Catholic school system in Humboldt will be involved.

Anyone interested in purchasing a Green Shirt of their own can do so here.

The Boulet family is asking people to light up social media with posts in their green shirts on April 7 to show support.