A mother and stepfather stood together Friday night on the Ritchie Center ice, and when presented a No. 39 Denver hockey jersey with “NAFFAH” inscribed on the back, Pioneers fans poured down a standing ovation.
Their son was truly loved.
Peter “Petey” Naffah served as an assistant with the DU hockey equipment staff for more than three years as an inspirational member of the program who lived with Down Syndrome. On Dec. 20, Naffah died after a sudden onset of bacterial meningitis. He was 31.
The Pioneers honored Naffah’s life and legacy with the uniform presentation and a short memorial video before DU faced off against Nebraska-Omaha. More than 125 of Naffah’s immediate family and friends planned to be in attendance. The Pioneers also added “Petey” decals on their helmets.
“I don’t know how to put into words how much we miss him,” DU coach Jim Montgomery told The Denver Post.