Feb. 09--A man walked up to Scott Darling on the Blackhawks' recent road trip in Arizona and asked Darling for money.
Instead of trying to avoid or ignore the man, Darling wanted to lend a helping hand -- and in a big way.
In a story posted on the Twitter account of Kane Van Gate, a beer-league goaltender who was in Arizona recently, Darling paid for the man to stay in a hotel for a month to help him get back on his feet. According to the post, Van Gate and Darling shared the same Uber driver, who relayed Darling's act of generosity to Van Gate.
Darling, a native of Lemont, confirmed the story Monday at the Hawks' practice.
"I just started talking to him, was interested in his life, seemed like a good guy and just needed a helping hand," Darling said. "That's kind of how it happened."
Darling said he met the man Wednesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., where the Hawks were staying in advance of their game Thursday against the Coyotes. Darling did not name the man. He said he was surprised to see the story gain traction on social media considering the only person he told about it was his fianc
"I had no idea how anyone even found out about that," Darling said.
Darling can relate to the feeling of being down and in need of help. He has been outspoken about his battle with alcohol addiction, which got him kicked off the University of Maine's hockey team, and his path to recovery all the way to the NHL.
"I definitely have a soft spot in my heart for that situation -- people battling stuff that other people don't understand," Darling said. "But like I said, he seemed like a really nice person. I'm in the position to help somebody like that. I'm happy to do it."
chine@tribpub.com
