FEATURE: David Payer named honorary captain of Gee-Gees Men’s Hockey for 2021-22 season

The University of Ottawa men's hockey team named David Payer honorary captain for the whole of the 2021-22 season. David, the son of long-time Gee-Gees employee Luc Payer, has recently gone through a life-altering health emergency that saw him spend months in the hospital and have his right leg amputated. David, 24, remains an inspiration and breath of positivity through these trying times.

David was born with a congenital heart defect that required surgery in the first days of his life. The surgery went well, and David lived an unaffected life until 2019 when his life changed forever.

"I played hockey, I went to school, I worked out, cycled, golfed, you name it. I did everything and then in August 2019, I was told that I had two leaking valves that need to be replaced," he said.

The initial operation was successful, and David soon returned to the flow of his life, continuing his apprenticeship as an electrician. In November, he started to feel fatigued and his parents, Luc and Kara, took him to the hospital. After many tests, it was revealed that the sutures on his arteries had burst, and he was experiencing right-side heart failure.

He was placed into a medically induced coma for 15 days and spent just under four months in the Intensive Care Unit. While in his coma, David suffered from compartment syndrome that resulted in a build-up pressure in his right leg and required an additional procedure to alleviate.

"We received a call at around 2 o'clock," said Luc.

"They were asking us permission to perform the operation," continued Kara. "David is a small man; he was 120 pounds. And after the surgery, he looked like a sumo wrestler."  

As David was preparing to leave the hospital in Mar. 2020, an infection was found in his right leg. To prevent the infection from spreading, his leg needed to be amputated. As David was attending rehab, doctors found that his pulse was dangerously low and installed a pacemaker to help regulate his heart rate. Despite all his adversities, David has never given up.

"I really had to re-learn how to do basic things in life, like just walking with a prosthetic leg," he said. "I've started to play golf and recently started doing wheelchair basketball. 

"I got a car now and I got it adapted to so I can drive it with my left foot and that was a big part of my liberty. I was able to go on my own to the store, to work is just a big thing for me just being able to go out on my own." 

David's story is one of perseverance and positivity in the face of adversity. He was invited to share his story, with his father Luc, by Gee-Gees' head coach Patrick Grandmaître. 

"Luc has been a colleague of mine for a long time. Getting to know his family and the story of David, I thought it would be an inspiration for our players, that a young man, the same age as many of our guys, has gone through all the things that he has," said Grandmaître.

David and Luc spoke to the team ahead of their game against the Concordia Stingers on Mar. 2.

"It was a bit stressful," said David.

"We didn't really know what to expect," continued Luc. "It was amazing. Like I said, just talking about it and afterwards, the guys just clapped, and they all stopped to shake David's hand and thanked him for sharing his story. It was really amazing."

After telling his story he was presented with a Gee-Gees jersey by team captain Yvan Mongo. The pair played minor hockey together growing up, and Mongo's father had taught David during his apprenticeship.

"For me to see someone I know go through what David has, and to come through with positivity and great spirit is really inspirational," said Mongo. "It really shows the type of person he is and the character that he has.

"I am really proud to say that I know him and to say that he is a part of my Gee-Gees family."