Mikalonis family: Knights’ victory meant a lot to paralyzed officer
Thursday’s Golden Knights victory meant a lot to paralyzed Las Vegas police officer Shay Mikalonis.
The longtime hockey fan’s father, Guy Mikalonis, said the younger Mikalonis has followed the Golden Knights’ playoff run at every turn. Shay Mikalonis, a faithful Knights follower since the team was created, watched the series-clinching victory over the Colorado Avalanche at home with his loved ones in Las Vegas.
“It’s been kind of bringing us all together,” Shay Mikalonis’ uncle, Frank Mikalonis, said. “To watch the Golden Knights with him has been special. He was so excited. Shay was like, ‘That’s awesome they won!’ It was such an exciting game.”
Guy Mikalonis said the victory, putting the Knights just one series away from the Stanley Cup championship series, was meaningful for many reasons.
“He gets excited for the games. I’m really excited they won,” he said. “It gives him (Shay Mikalonis at least) four more games (to watch). It really gives him something to look forward to.”
Shay Mikalonis was shot and critically wounded at the conclusion of a 2020 demonstration on the Strip. He is paralyzed from the neck down, requires 24-hour care and breathes with the assistance of a ventilator. He spent months at a rehabilitation center before coming home to Las Vegas this spring.
Several members of the Mikalonis family are in town this weekend to celebrate Friday as Shay Day per a proclamation from the city of Las Vegas. Councilwoman Victoria Seaman presented the family with a proclamation from Mayor Carolyn Goodman on Thursday.
“It was such a great moment to have his family there,” Seaman said. “His aunts and uncles were here from as far away as Washington, D.C. We wanted to recognize him as our hero. This young man is a hero.”
The Mikalonis family said the city proclamation was an honor for Shay Mikalonis. A relentless outpouring of community support from Southern Nevadans to the family is also cherished, they said on the morning of Shay Day.
“It meant a lot to give Shay some recognition for his service,” Guy Mikalonis said. “It meant quite a bit to all the family.”
Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.
