Henri Richard | Battling Alzheimer's--Condition Worsening

[CentreHice]

From August of this year. The Pocket

One of the most successful players in league history, Henri Richard, is battling Alzheimer’s disease, according to a report.
Le Journal De Quebec reported Friday evening that Richard, 79, was absent from the 22nd Hector “Toe” Blake Alzheimer Celebrity Golf Tournament, a tournament that was created in support of the Alzheimer Society of Montreal. Blake, the legendary Canadiens coach who won eight Stanley Cup patrolling the Habs’ bench, passed away in 1995 after a battle with Alzheimer’s.
Richard’s condition is said to have worsened lately, according to Le Journal’s Pierre Durocher.
“It’s very sad to see what condition it is,” Rejean Houle, president of the Canadiens’ Alumni Association, told Durocher. “…We often think of (Henri) and his wife Lise, demonstrating great courage (at this time).”
Currently, Richard is listed as an ambassador for the Canadiens and is a member of the alumni association.
Nicknamed the ‘Pocket Rocket’ due to being Maurice ‘The Rocket’ Richards’ little brother and his 5-foot-7 frame, Richard holds the NHL record for most Stanley Cups by a player, having won 11 with the Canadiens from. He was part of the late-1950s dynastic Montreal club that won five consecutive Stanley Cups. While he wasn’t the dynamic offensive threat that his brother was, Henri was a savvy playmaker and finished his career with 358 goals and 1,046 points in 1,256 games. He has the 68th most points of any player in NHL history.
Two of the most memorable moments of Richard’s career included a pair of Stanley Cup winning goals. In the 1966 final, Richard scored in overtime against the Detroit Red Wings to win the Canadiens the Stanley Cup. He would again be the Stanley Cup hero in the 1971 final, when he scored the game-tying goal late in the second period of Game 7 against Chicago. Little more than two minutes into the third period, Richard scored again to lift the Canadiens past the Black Hawks.
Richard is one of only five players to have two Stanley Cup-winning goals to his name. The others are Toe Blake, Jean Beliveau, Bobby Orr and Mike Bossy.
Richard was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1979. When The Hockey News ranked its top 100 players in league history, Richard came in at 29.

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I was wondering why he didn't pass the torch to Pacioretty on opening night. With Beliveau's death, I expected Henri to be front and centre in the stands this year as elder statesman.

Not to be, it seems, although I wonder if he'll receive a night of honour at the Bell Centre....unless his health has deteriorated past that point. One of the many cruel hands we can be dealt.


20 seasons. 11 Stanley Cups. Sits 3rd in all-time Habs' scoring, behind only Lafleur and Beliveau. Hall of Fame. #16 retired. I sure hope he reaped and enjoyed all he deserved.

As Red Fisher quoted Frank Selke as saying in a 2009 Habs' Centennial article:

"I have been blessed with some of the greatest players in NHL history," Selke said, "but game in, game out, Henri Richard may have been the most valuable player I've ever had."

OT Cup winner, 1966. Game 6 in Detroit. Starting at the 0:55 mark. Richard passes over to #20, Dave Balon….who returns the pass as Richard is being taken down by the Detroit defender. #17, Jean-Guy Talbot is the right winger. Crozier complained briefly that Richard knocked it in with his hand.

Game-tying goal and Cup winner, 1971. Game 7 in Chicago. Down 2-0, Lemaire gets the comeback started….beginning at 6:04.

[habsask]

Nice tribute.

What a Great player.

What a big Heart.

[Gogie]

He was my idol growing up. I always tried to get #16 when I played hockey as a kid.

[stoat]

Oct 24, 2015 13:22:28 GMT -5 CentreHice said:

I'll move this thread to Nostalgia....but thought it should be on the main board for a bit.

From August of this year. The Pocket

One of the most successful players in league history, Henri Richard, is battling Alzheimer’s disease, according to a report.
Le Journal De Quebec reported Friday evening that Richard, 79, was absent from the 22nd Hector “Toe” Blake Alzheimer Celebrity Golf Tournament, a tournament that was created in support of the Alzheimer Society of Montreal. Blake, the legendary Canadiens coach who won eight Stanley Cup patrolling the Habs’ bench, passed away in 1995 after a battle with Alzheimer’s.
Richard’s condition is said to have worsened lately, according to Le Journal’s Pierre Durocher.
“It’s very sad to see what condition it is,” Rejean Houle, president of the Canadiens’ Alumni Association, told Durocher. “…We often think of (Henri) and his wife Lise, demonstrating great courage (at this time).”
Currently, Richard is listed as an ambassador for the Canadiens and is a member of the alumni association.
Nicknamed the ‘Pocket Rocket’ due to being Maurice ‘The Rocket’ Richards’ little brother and his 5-foot-7 frame, Richard holds the NHL record for most Stanley Cups by a player, having won 11 with the Canadiens from. He was part of the late-1950s dynastic Montreal club that won five consecutive Stanley Cups. While he wasn’t the dynamic offensive threat that his brother was, Henri was a savvy playmaker and finished his career with 358 goals and 1,046 points in 1,256 games. He has the 68th most points of any player in NHL history.
Two of the most memorable moments of Richard’s career included a pair of Stanley Cup winning goals. In the 1966 final, Richard scored in overtime against the Detroit Red Wings to win the Canadiens the Stanley Cup. He would again be the Stanley Cup hero in the 1971 final, when he scored the game-tying goal late in the second period of Game 7 against Chicago. Little more than two minutes into the third period, Richard scored again to lift the Canadiens past the Black Hawks.
Richard is one of only five players to have two Stanley Cup-winning goals to his name. The others are Toe Blake, Jean Beliveau, Bobby Orr and Mike Bossy.
Richard was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1979. When The Hockey News ranked its top 100 players in league history, Richard came in at 29.

===============================================================

I was wondering why he didn't pass the torch to Pacioretty on opening night. With Beliveau's death, I expected Henri to be front and centre in the stands this year as elder statesman.

Not to be, it seems, although I wonder if he'll receive a night of honour at the Bell Centre....unless his health has deteriorated past that point. One of the many cruel hands we can be dealt.


20 seasons. 11 Stanley Cups. Sits 3rd in all-time Habs' scoring, behind only Lafleur and Beliveau. Hall of Fame. #16 retired. I sure hope he reaped and enjoyed all he deserved.

As Red Fisher quoted Frank Selke as saying in a 2009 Habs' Centennial article:

"I have been blessed with some of the greatest players in NHL history," Selke said, "but game in, game out, Henri Richard may have been the most valuable player I've ever had."

OT Cup winner, 1966. Game 6 in Detroit. Starting at the 0:55 mark. Richard passes over to #20, Dave Balon….who returns the pass as Richard is being taken down by the Detroit defender. #17, Jean-Guy Talbot is the right winger. Crozier complained briefly that Richard knocked it in with his hand.

Game-tying goal and Cup winner, 1971. Game 7 in Chicago. Down 2-0, Lemaire gets the comeback started….beginning at 6:04.

There's no known method of reversing Alzheimer's. There isn't even a good palliative treatment. All I can say is that each case progresses at it own pace. My grandmother developed it and it was sad to watch her. I visited her when she was in a nursing home and she mistook me for one of her cousins. I didn't try to correct her because it wouldn't have been of any use and it would have made her feel sadder.

[CentreHice]

Trying to find more news on Henri. No updates. But here's another article from 2015 that goes into more detail. Very sad.


Richard

According to Bertrand Raymond of RDS, Montreal Canadiens living legend Henri Richard, who has been battling Alzheimer's disease, has now been confined to a specialized care facility.

The 79-year old was sent to the facility to relieve his wife Lise Richard of the enormous responsibility that comes with caring for someone suffering from the degenerative disease.

In a translated quote from his wife, Lise Richard explains why keeping Henri at home was no longer an option for the Richard family.

"I could no longer sleep, as he would walk around the house at night. I feared he would leave the house, something that he has done in the past. He had fallen and hit his head. We drove him to the hospital the next day and the doctors told us he could no longer return home."

At the moment, Richard recognizes his wife, but can no longer remember the names of his five children.

Lise continued by explaining the pain she feels seeing her husband's memory deteriorate in such a way.

"It's a frightful disease," said Lise. "We are all affected by what he is going through. His memory is continually degrading. I am having difficulty accepting the situation. It hurts the moral, I would never wish this on anyone."


An article from Nov. 2015 says his condition was deteriorating with each passing week.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

We have a friend who has it now and he's been committed ... we know of a few others who came down with it and it's a very destructive disease ... really do wish Mr Richard and the entire family well ... they'll all be in this for sure ... godspeed Henri ...

Cheers.