On May 14, the Ottawa Senators announced that owner Eugene Melnyck, who had been ill since January, needed an urgent liver transplant.
The Senators and the Melnyk family immediately began searching for a live liver donor.
A week later, doctors announced that a donor had been found and that the procedure had been a success.
On Sunday, Melnyk made his first public appearance since the procedure took place. He and his daughters Olivia and Anna were introduced at center ice prior to Ottawa’s game against Montreal.
My daughters on the ice thanking everyone for helping me out. Best fans in the world! #BeADonor pic.twitter.com/hGOSJ9eZfA
— Eugene Melnyk (@MelnykEugene) October 11, 2015
The Melnyk family got a long standing ovation from the crowd at the Canadian Tire Center before Melnyk’s daughters thanked the fans.
Here’s the full pregame ceremony: