It was a Monday Travis Hastings will someday laugh about, but for the dedicated lacrosse player, it was heartbreaking.
Following the snowstorm on January 21, the captain of the Englewood High School's lacrosse team adventured into the cold to shovel out the family cars. When he went back inside, he forgot one important thing.
“I was stupid and forgot to relock my car, in which I kept all my gear,” Hastings recalled, talking about the $1200 worth of gear left in the backseat of his dad’s SUV.
When he didn’t see the gear in the car and the door was left slightly open, the senior said his “heart just dropped.”
Only four weeks into the job, Officer Barnard of the Littleton Police Department took the call for a vehicle break-in the next morning. There he met with Travis’s parents who said their son’s entire bag of lacrosse gear was stolen. While Barnard completed his report, the Hastings showed him photos of Travis playing lacrosse. They also told him of his Division 1 scholarship to play for Augustana College.
“And I really felt for this kid. I got the sense that lacrosse was his life,” Barnard told 9NEWS. “Having part of your life stolen away. it can be quite devastating.”
A hockey player himself, Barnard knows how expensive equipment in sports like theirs can be.
“I wanted to jump into action and help him out the best I could,” said Hastings.
Barnard decided to reach out to the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League. He explained the situation and asked if they wanted to help.
“The lacrosse community is very small and when you hear of things like that you want to help out,” Colorado Mammoth defenseman Dan Coates. “As an organization, the Colorado Mammoth, we’re more than happy to help Travis out.”
The plan was to donate two sets of gear to Hastings on Wednesday, but the day before the surprise, the school got an email that his gear had been recovered. Barnard asked the Mammoth organization if they wanted to cancel.
“But they said, “Yes, we’re still going to do it.” Barnard added that with “Travis being Travis”, he would more than likely pay it forward and share the gear with his teammates.
The following afternoon, members from every news station packed in Englewood High School’s Press Room, anxiously awaiting the big surprise.
Travis walked into the room visibly stunned as Dan greeted him with a smile and a handshake. Coates explained why they were there and told Travis to check out his fresh new gear.
“Super pumped?” Coates asked.
“Speechless,” Hastings said.
For the next hour, the entire room of strangers mingled, enjoying the sense of community and support. Barnard thanked Coates and fellow defenseman Brad Self, before embracing Barnard in a big bear hug.
“Getting pulled out of class like that your mind instantly goes to the worst and I would never expect something like this to happen,” Travis said, glancing over to his new sticks, cleats, and helmet. “I just want to thank them.”
Hastings plans to donate his old gear to a younger teammate and attend as many Mammoth games as possible before heading to college this summer.
