CASA Centre, a facility offering mental health services to children and families, commissioned a mural to commemorate the life and legacy of Colby Cave, a player for the Edmonton Oilers who passed away in 2020. Photo courtesy CASA Mental Health
CASA Centre, a facility offering mental health services to children and families, commissioned a mural to commemorate the life and legacy of Colby Cave, a player for the Edmonton Oilers who passed away in 2020.
Painted by local artist Rahmaan Hameed, the piece features images of Cave during his time with the National Hockey League (NHL) team, as well as the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL). It also includes a puck with the number 18, to represent his friendship with Boston Bruins player Danton Heinen, and a phrase Cave shared with his wife, Emily: “Be somebody that makes everybody feel like a somebody.”
Both Colby and Emily have been strong advocates of mental health. The mural aims to serve as a reminder that children are not alone when dealing with these challenges. It was commissioned through the Colby Cave Memorial Fund at the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, along with Colby’s Kids, two initiatives which support the centre’s day programs and the CASA House live-in program for teens.
Every child who comes into the building also receives a Colby Cave backpack with everything they need for their visit at CASA Centre.
“It’s very bittersweet, seeing all the lives we’ve been able to help through Colby’s Kids and here at CASA,” says Emily. “Mental health is extremely important. It’s important to the both of us. I love that together we can still give back and help people, so they don’t feel alone in their struggles, and just remind them they’re somebody, too.”
