by John Branch
Derek’s two primary girlfriends, the two loves of his life, deserve special recognition. Janella D’Amore and Derek were together for about three years, stretching from his stint in Medicine Hat through his first season in Minnesota. Janella shared intimate memories of two young people in love, on a crazy journey from obscurity to wealth and fame.
Erin Russell and Derek became intimately involved early in Derek’s second NHL season, about the time of his knockout punch to Todd Fedoruk. They had several years together, through the ups and downs of fame, fortune, and the tangled web of personal problems that Derek encountered, including substance abuse. In his final year, Derek hoped to win Erin back, and the two had their most pleasant exchange of many, many months shortly before he died. Erin, reluctant to participate in the story, eventually provided a two-hour phone interview after I inadvertently discovered her waiting tables at a Minneapolis bar and restaurant and introduced myself.
With the permission of the Boogaard family, the doctors and experts at Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy opened their files on Derek and showed me Derek’s brain. Dr. Ann McKee, Dr. Robert Cantu, Dr. Robert Stern, and Chris Nowinksi helped educate me on brain science, the mystery behind concussions, and the precise damage Derek’s brain absorbed during his 28 years.
Finally, Len Boogaard deserves a special section, because so much of this book could not have been written without his help. In the wake of his son’s death, the longtime Royal Canadian Mounted Police member began his own investigation. He tirelessly uncovered a paper trail of Derek’s final year or two, lined with the types of documents mostly available only to next of kin, and shared it for the purposes of telling Derek’s story.
He requested—and, in most cases, received—Derek’s medical reports and files from team doctors of the Wild and Rangers, including notes from trainers and prescriptions from doctors. He requested and received Derek’s pharmacy records from drugstores in Minnesota and New York, mostly various outlets of Walgreens and Duane Reade that Derek frequented.
He painstakingly combed through Derek’s phone records, making a directory of contacts by calling numbers he did not recognize and seeing who answered. He collected Derek’s bank records and credit-card reports. He received copies of Derek’s drug tests, which showed which drugs the league’s substance abuse program was testing for, and the results. He received Derek’s file from Authentic Recovery Center, the Los Angeles rehabilitation clinic where Derek spent most of his final few weeks. (Founder and program administrator Cassidy Cousens was among those I interviewed.)
By overlaying the data—doctor’s notes, prescriptions received, drug tests taken, and bank records—Len’s research created a deeply woven arc of highs and lows and, ultimately, the death of his son. It also became the foundation of a wrongful-death lawsuit that the family filed against the NHL in 2013, which was slowly wending its way through the American court system at the time of publication.
For those people, and all the others with a stake in Derek’s life and an aching from unanswered questions, their trust and insight will forever be appreciated.
PHOTO CREDITS
FRONTISPIECE: Courtesy Joanne Boogaard
PAGE 14: Courtesy Joanne Boogaard
PAGE 19: Courtesy Joanne Boogaard
PAGE 35: Courtesy Joanne Boogaard
PAGE 76: Brent Braaten/Prince George Citizen
PAGE 140: Bruce Kluckhohn/Getty Images
PAGE 150: Bruce Kluckhohn/Minnesota Wild
PAGE 157: Andy King/Bruce Kluckhohn Photography
PAGE 188: Andy Devlin/Getty Images
PAGE 227: AP Photo/Jim Mone
PAGE 259: Andre Ringuette/Getty Images
PAGE 306: AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Mark Taylor
INDEX
Page numbers listed correspond to the print edition of this book. You can use your device’s search function to locate particular terms in the text.
Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.
acetaminophen, 182, 207
Agridome, 61, 68, 101, 138, 212
Air Canada Centre, 251
Air Canada Cup, 64
Alberta, 27, 165, 223, 230
Alcoholics Anonymous, 294
Alzheimer’s disease, 319
Ambien, 126, 169, 182, 189, 200, 207, 209–210, 211, 212, 214, 220, 238, 243, 245, 262, 263, 265, 267, 268, 269, 271, 272, 274, 276, 283, 284, 291, 292, 315
American Hockey League (AHL), 115, 116, 118, 123, 124, 125, 129, 130, 131, 134, 137, 148, 171, 204, 208, 224, 240, 258
see also specific AHL hockey teams
Anaheim Ducks, 137–138, 148, 156, 167, 180, 216, 217, 222
in 2007 playoff series vs. Wild, 4–6, 7, 8–9, 10, 172–175, 187
Anderson, John, 131
Archbishop O’Neill High, 66
Arkansas RiverBlades, 108, 109
Armstrong, Jason, 40
arthritis, 109
Ashley (Derek’s female acquaintance), 298, 300, 301, 302
assists, 2, 4, 10, 61, 80, 87, 108, 128, 130, 139, 173, 187, 189, 201, 229, 248, 324
Astor & Black, 293, 299
Atlanta Thrashers, 92, 129–130
Authentic Recovery Center, 290–295, 298–299
Avery, Sean, 248
azithromycin, 256
Bailey, Ace, 56–57
Bala, Chris, 122
Baldwin, Howard, 59
bantam-level hockey, 40, 41–42, 44–47, 71, 90, 96, 104
Barnes, Ryan, 130
baseball, 44, 51, 52, 62, 189, 201, 231
basketball, 51, 52, 62, 200, 231
Baskin, Timothy, 315
Battle of the Blades (reality series), 322
Battle of the Hockey Enforcers (pay-per-view tournament), 124–125, 247
Baum, Dan, 88
Bedford Veterans Administration Medical Center, 305, 324
Belak, Graham, 187
Belak, Wade, 187–188, 190, 221–222, 321–322
Bertuzzi, Todd, 145
Bettman, Gary, 52, 59, 322, 323–324
Beukeboom, Jeff, 237
billet families, 74–76, 79–80, 83–85, 86, 93, 100–101, 102, 104, 161
Billington, Leah, 316
Biron, Martin, 259
Bois, Danny, 216
Boll, Jared, 216
Bonds, Barry, 189
Bone, Jason, 80
Boogaard, Aaron Nicholas, 19, 26, 35, 39, 60, 65, 68, 70, 119, 149, 161–162, 163, 165, 175, 196, 204, 207, 208–210, 232, 238, 239–241, 293, 296–298, 299, 314, 317–318, 324
arrest of, 317
Derek in skirmishes with, 104–105, 178, 193, 240
Derek’s close relationship with, 129, 162, 194, 208, 239, 297–298
Derek’s death and, 303–304, 315
Derek’s final hours with, 300, 301–303
at Derek’s funeral, 309–310, 312–313
Derek’s prescription drug abuse and, 208, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 267, 296, 300, 316
Erin distrusted by, 209, 239–240
hockey career of, 90, 104–105, 128–129, 175, 194, 204, 208, 211, 240–241, 243, 317, 318, 320
investigation into Derek’s death and, 315–316, 317
workouts and training of, 129, 178–179, 193, 208, 238, 297, 317
Boogaard, Bill, 17, 18, 26
Boogaard, Derek Leendert, 77–78, 159–160, 228–230, 295–300
Aaron’s close relationship with, 129, 162, 194, 208, 239, 297–298
academic struggles of, 29–30, 40, 75, 77, 83, 84, 85, 292
adolescence of, 2, 32, 38–48, 65–69, 70, 74, 75–80, 83–86, 149, 249
affairs and sexual exploits of, 160–161, 163, 164, 293
aggressive and violent plays of, 45, 64, 89–90, 94, 95, 100, 101, 109, 156, 173, 222, 257, 311
angry oubursts of, 45–46, 64, 95, 96, 100, 241, 289
anxiety over move to New York of, 237–238, 239, 240, 244
apartments and condos of, 4, 114–115, 120, 12
1, 160, 164, 165, 194, 204, 223, 237, 238, 266, 267, 269, 281, 282, 284, 295–296, 302
as approachable to fans, 162–163, 191
assault charges against, 163
ATM withdrawals of, 261–262, 264–265, 274, 282, 283, 284, 286, 301
autopsy report on, 314–315
as avid cyclist, 196, 208, 312
back problems of, 3, 8, 127–128, 143, 171, 182, 183, 186, 195, 203, 214, 229, 240, 245, 316
bantam-level tryouts of, 39, 40
barhopping and nightlife of, 79, 104, 161–162, 163, 167, 190–192, 208, 209, 221, 238, 239, 263, 264, 274, 281, 286, 297, 298, 300, 301–302
billet families of, 75–76, 83–85, 93, 100–101, 102, 104, 161
birth of, 18
blurred vision of, 137, 201, 264
boxing of, 41, 83, 117, 129, 176–179, 193, 204, 293, 297
boyhood-level hockey played by, 3, 13–14, 14, 18–20, 21–22, 26, 27, 30, 33, 35, 36, 37, 95, 307
boyish, immature behavior of, 161–162, 263
brain damage found in, 8, 325–327
broken noses of, 8, 178, 227, 228, 245, 255, 258, 260, 264
building drug tolerance in, 207, 314
bulldogs loved by, 120–121, 159
charity work of, 197, 237, 244, 310
childhood of, 3, 6, 13–14, 14, 18–20, 19, 21–22, 24, 26, 27, 28–38, 35, 159, 185, 269, 278, 292, 307, 308, 311
chronic pain of, 8, 9, 126, 186, 210, 240, 260, 265, 280, 292, 293, 294–295, 316
in clashes with authority figures, 64–65, 74, 79–80, 84–86, 102, 119, 231, 249, 284
clumsiness and lack of agility in, 29, 37, 42, 67, 78
coaching mentors of, 40, 41–42, 84, 118, 119, 198, 202, 249
company and companionship sought by, 101, 194, 208, 244, 256, 265, 266, 278, 282, 310
concealment of pain and injury by, 8, 82, 101, 178, 184, 186, 263, 290
concussions and head injuries of, 3, 8, 143, 170, 201, 203, 229, 245, 255, 260–261, 264, 265–266, 267, 272, 273, 279, 284, 288, 292, 294, 296
contracts and salaries of, 4, 9, 107, 115–116, 118, 154, 174–175, 222, 228, 229, 230, 249, 270, 288
cool and aloof on-ice persona of, 2, 6, 139, 148, 149, 157, 172, 173, 218, 222, 224, 251
CTE symptoms displayed in, 277, 325, 326
damaged hands of, 3, 8, 81–82, 108–109, 113, 126–127, 128, 139, 143, 168, 195, 245, 252, 255, 315, 316
death of, 303–304, 310, 315
depression of, 220, 267, 268, 269, 277, 284, 292
diminishing role with Wild of, 202, 216, 217, 221, 225
diminishing work ethic in, 198, 209, 211, 288
drinking by, 79, 92, 162, 163, 164, 280, 285–286, 291, 292, 301, 314
in drug rehabilitation centers, 214–215, 216–217, 218, 222, 225, 242, 256, 267, 268, 269, 272, 279, 289, 290–295, 297, 298–299, 314, 323
drug tests of, 220–221, 256, 257, 262, 265, 267, 269, 271–272, 275–276, 283, 286, 291, 298, 314
ejections of, 46, 95
emotional tolls of fighting on, 9, 140, 152, 157–158, 193–194, 318
equipment and gear used by, 3, 48, 53, 72, 93, 107, 121
Erin’s relationship with, 167–168, 192, 202–204, 205, 209–210, 211, 217, 218, 225, 232, 239–240, 243, 244, 256–257, 263, 266, 292–293, 295, 297
facial injuries of, 8, 82, 83, 86, 137, 171, 178, 188–189, 190, 206, 227, 228, 245, 252, 255, 256, 258, 260, 264, 322
fame of, 8, 177, 204, 239
family background of, 14–18
fan popularity of, 1–2, 7, 87, 101, 122, 131, 133, 139, 149, 174, 229, 244, 268, 269, 307, 324
Fedoruk’s facial injury caused by, 8, 156–158, 157, 159, 167, 173, 179, 180, 181, 202, 278, 280
Fedoruk’s unlikely friendship with, 183–186, 277–279
fighting stats of, 7–8, 69, 80, 88, 100, 106, 113, 123, 133, 148, 173, 181, 201, 229, 324
fighting-style and strategy of, 67, 74, 110, 178–179, 224
final hockey fight of, 257–260, 259, 279
final hours of, 300–303
“flipping the switch” in, 104, 193, 195, 255
“fogginess” in head experienced by, 268, 318
free agency of, 228–231
frequent trips to Long Island of, 262, 264–265, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 295
funeral of, 306–314
games missed due to injuries of, 126, 168, 169, 170, 171, 182, 183, 184, 201–202, 229, 245, 255
gentle, mild-mannered nature of, 33, 42, 101, 103, 104, 118–119, 121–122, 167, 177, 184, 197, 200, 202, 263, 281, 285, 308, 312, 313
growing self-confidence of, 94, 104, 150
headaches of, 245, 264, 265, 267, 273, 281, 283
hockey-career ambitions of, 80, 83, 87–88, 101–102, 114, 118, 122, 129, 269
hockey players idolized by, 37–38, 88, 134
homesickness of, 74, 243–245, 266, 273
on Houston Aeros, 116, 117–119, 122, 124, 125–128, 129–131, 134, 150, 174, 198, 258
humble, unassuming nature of, 139, 149, 160, 167, 174, 196, 197, 198, 202, 224, 311
improvement and development of skating skills in, 131, 134, 139
increasing lethargy in, 199, 209, 211, 221, 257, 267, 272, 273, 281, 285, 288
increasingly erratic behavior of, 209, 221, 265–266, 268, 277, 280–281, 282, 285, 286, 289, 301–302, 326
injuries inflicted by, 8, 55, 87, 148, 156–158, 157, 159, 167, 173, 179, 180, 181, 202, 203, 278, 280
inquisitiveness of, 78–79, 150, 185, 224, 312
intimidating on-ice presence of, 1, 7, 8, 64, 87, 108, 131, 134, 168, 179, 229
investigation into death of, 315–317
Janella’s relationship with, 97–99, 103, 105, 114–115, 118, 119–121, 122, 128, 159, 160–161, 163–166, 192, 203–204, 302, 309
junior-league fights of, 54–55, 60, 64, 66–69, 73, 74, 76–77, 76, 80–82, 86–87, 88, 95, 97, 101, 103–104, 106, 169–170, 250
at junior-league training camps, 53–55, 59, 66–67, 103, 138
as lacking all-around hockey skills, 37, 67, 78, 88, 115, 123, 154, 198
large physical build of, 2, 6, 13–14, 18–20, 22, 29, 30, 32, 37, 38–39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66, 72, 75, 78, 83, 84, 90, 101, 103, 107, 115, 138, 151, 152, 169, 179, 184, 195, 196, 214, 311, 312
Laurie’s relationship with, 263–264, 265, 274, 285–286
limited ice time of, 2, 4, 7, 8, 59, 64, 67, 76, 100, 102, 150, 168, 198, 229, 246, 247, 249
loneliness of, 10, 256, 266, 268, 269, 273, 277–278, 280, 301–302, 310
long-lost half-brother of, 96–97, 105, 204–205
loose and erratic spending habits of, 116, 160, 161, 205, 244, 264, 269, 274–275, 281, 283, 285, 293, 295, 296, 298, 301, 311
loss of physical coordination in, 211, 289, 291
on Louisiana IceGators, 4, 107–111, 112–113, 115, 224
media’s friendly relations with, 174, 197, 244, 272
on Medicine Hat Tigers, 98, 100, 101–105, 224
on Melfort Bantam AA team, 41–42, 44–47
mental decline and forgetfulness of, 203, 209, 211, 257, 261, 268, 277, 325
Messier’s pep talk with, 286, 288
minor-league fights of, 108–111, 113, 123–124, 126–127, 128, 129–130, 137, 258
in minor-league playoff series, 128, 130, 131
in minor-league training camps, 118
missing teeth of, 3, 10, 82, 140, 161, 187, 188, 197, 221, 251, 322
molding into “enforcer” role of, 2, 6–7, 40, 41, 42, 48, 117–118
mood swings of, 209, 257, 268, 270, 277, 281, 282, 289, 301–302, 326
in multiplayer brawls, 86, 103–104, 109–110, 113, 130
NHL drafting of, 92–93, 94, 100, 103, 117, 129, 133–134, 242
NHL fights of, 7–8, 9–10, 137–138, 139, 140, 147–148, 149, 150–152, 156–158, 157, 159, 167, 169–172, 175, 181–182, 187–188, 188, 190, 201, 217–218, 221–222, 226–228, 227, 250, 251–253, 254–256, 257�
�260, 259, 279, 321–322, 324
NHL prospects of, 102–103, 118, 119, 120, 122–123, 131, 133–134, 198
in NHL substance abuse program, 10, 213–215, 216–217, 218–221, 222–223, 242, 243, 252, 256, 257, 262, 265, 267, 268, 269, 271–272, 275–276, 283, 286, 291, 294–295, 298–299, 300
at NHL training camps, 2, 93, 94–95, 97, 99, 108, 132–134, 163, 211, 241, 246, 247
nicknames of, 2, 32, 47, 67, 72, 101, 122, 138, 184, 191
off-ice events and public appearances attended by, 149, 150, 164, 174, 197–198, 210–211, 310
off-season jobs of, 91
opponent strategies for fighting against, 168, 179, 226
parental support in hockey career of, 18–19, 21–22, 33, 34, 35–36, 41, 60, 61, 101–102, 139, 159
parents’ deteriorating marriage and, 65, 70, 75, 83, 84, 91, 97, 292
penalty minutes of, 4, 87, 88, 101, 106, 113, 128, 130, 131, 168, 173, 229, 324
personality changes in, 197, 198–199, 203, 209, 210, 221, 223, 225, 230, 257, 281, 285, 286, 326
physical appearance of, 2–3, 14, 149
poor physical conditioning of, 211, 246, 247, 249, 273, 288
popularity with teammates of, 149–150, 174, 197, 269
post-concussion syndrome of, 261, 263, 264, 265–266, 273, 284, 292, 294
posthumous brain examination of, 305–306, 315, 318, 320, 324–327
post-rehab “aftercare plan” contract of, 218–219, 221
in pregame confrontations, 8–9, 256
prescription drug use of, 10, 126, 127, 169, 182, 185–186, 189–190, 200, 206–207, 208–210, 211–215, 220–221, 225, 230, 238–240, 241–243, 244, 245, 247, 252, 255, 256, 257, 261–263, 265, 266, 267–269, 271, 274, 276, 281, 282–284, 285–286, 289, 291–293, 295, 296, 297, 300, 310, 314, 315, 316–317, 322, 326
in preseason fights, 54–55, 94–95, 133
on Prince George Cougars, 70–71, 72–74, 75–78, 79–82, 83, 85–90, 95–96, 97, 100, 113, 170, 224, 250, 269, 281
quirky sense of humor of, 78, 149, 224, 310, 312
quixotic quests and fixations of, 119, 120, 164, 198, 269, 311
Rangers’ distant and strained relationship with, 246, 249, 267, 269, 273, 278, 284, 288, 291, 294, 299
rare offensive output of, 2, 4, 10, 80, 87, 88–89, 101–102, 105, 108, 113, 122, 123, 128, 130, 131, 138–139, 147, 154, 161, 173, 187, 189, 201, 229, 246, 248, 253–254, 324