Kids probably don't dream of being hockey referees growing up. Most dream of playing in the NHL, not officiating the players in the league.
Believe it or not, some kids do dream of being officials and as odd as that may sound, someone has to do the job and it's not a bad gig.
You're on television every night skating and interacting with the best hockey players in the world. Obviously not everyone is going to like you, but the good referees earn the respect of their peers, the players, coaches, and fans by doing their job to the best of their abilities.
Monday night, a Reddit User by the name of Jowilant shared a story on Hockey Reddit about an NHL referee that will warm your heart.
Jowilant's son who's in grade three wants to be a ref when he grows up and he emailed the NHL Ref Association to ask some questions about the profession.
Not only did Tom Chmielewski (an official currently in the NHL) respond to the email, but he also sent along a care package with a number of awesome items and a kind note.
Regardless which side of the whistle you're on, the hockey world is one of the greatest communities in sports and this act of kindness further proves that fact.
We hope Jowilant's son follows his dreams and ends up in the NHL one way or another!
(H/T: /r/hockey)
