84-year-old Wings fan watches 1st game at LCA thanks to adventure program
Tom and Brian Essenmacher (wearing Red Wings jerseys) attended their first game together at Little Caesars Arena thanks to a special program offered by Waltonwood.
Given a choice of a special event they’d like to experience as part of the three-year-old Adventure by Waltonwood program, residents of the southeast-Michigan senior-living facilities have selected everything from the excitement of a hot-air balloon ride to nostalgic visits to their childhood homes.
For 84-year-old Dearborn native and big-time Detroit professional sports fan Tom Essenmacher, the opportunity to attend a Detroit Red Wings hockey game with his son, Brian, was a no-brainer decision — especially since the Essenmachers had not attended a game together in over 20 years and Tom had never watched the Wings play at Little Caesars Arena.
Accompanied by Donna Donakowski, the life enrichment manager at Waltonwood at University in Rochester Hills, the Essenmachers not only watched the Red Wings defeat Buffalo, 4-1, Saturday afternoon, their cheering helped their favorite NHL team snap a seven-game losing streak.
Olympia Stadium memories
“When I was young, my buddies and I would take the streetcar to Olympia Stadium to watch the Red Wings when they had Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuk and that group,” said Tom Essenmacher, who has been a resident of Waltonwood at University since breaking his hip several months ago. “I’d take my family to watch them play at Joe Louis Arena, but I’d never seen a game at the new arena, which I’ve heard has all the bells and whistles.”
Essenmacher, who is a graduate of Dearborn Saint Alphonsus High School, vividly remembers playing hockey at Dearborn-area parks as a youth, no doubt imagining himself as the Red Wings’ “Mr. Hockey” as he maneuvered pucks on the outdoor rinks.
The Wings were such a positive influence on his life, Essenmacher wore a winged-wheel sweater during his retirement party from General Motors, where he excelled at carving wood models of future interior automobile parts for Fisher Body.
“If you look back at old pictures of our family, at least one of us is wearing a Red Wings jersey in most of them,” quipped Brian Essenmacher. “The last game my dad and I attended together was probably close to 20 years ago at Joe Louis Arena, so you can only imagine how excited my dad and I are about finally getting to watch a game at Little Caesars Arena for the first time together.”
The day before the big game, Brian Essenmacher explained how his dad was going to get a kick out of navigating the Little Caesars Arena concourse, which is decorated with Red Wings memorabilia dating back to the days when his dad would attend games at Olympia.
Hockey-loving Detroiter
“My dad has always been a big Detroit sports fan, but hockey was without a doubt the sport he enjoyed watching more than the others,” Brian said.
The Essenmachers are beyond thankful for the Adventure by Waltonwood program that allowed them to share a cherished life memory.
“When Donna said she could make this happen weeks ago, it’s something my dad hasn’t stopped talking about,” Brian said. “And I’m sure it’s something we’ll be talking about for years to come.”
The Adventure by Waltonwood program helps seniors overcome age and physical limits to reconnect with their passions and live life to fullest.
“I hope they win,” Tom Essenmacher said, less than 24 hours before Saturday afternoon’s game. “But even if they don’t, it’s going to be a fun experience that I’ll get to share with my son.”
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
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