Hockey Community Supports Fontana Family As Dad Battles Cancer

By Ross Forman

John Fontana was skating at the American Heartland Training Rink in Lincolnwood on September 4, 2022, an informal scrimmage between a few dads and their daughters. Fontana felt off and was struggling to maintain his balance. He made a pass to his daughter, Elise, then caught an edge and fell completely on his own.

He knew immediately that something was wrong. He just didn’t know how bad it was.

Fontana had broken his neck.

“Although it felt like a break, I didn’t really believe it at first because in the movies, that’s instant death,” he said. “The pain was indescribable, (but) I was still able to stand. So, I skated off the ice, went to the locker room and changed.”

John’s son, Dominic, had a game on the main rink at American Heartland right after, so John and his family stayed and watched, as he iced his neck.

“When the pain became too much, I asked my wife, Erica, to take me to the emergency room,” he said. “Looking back, staying wasn’t one of my smartest moves and the bumpy ride to the hospital let me know that.”

In the hospital, a CT scan showed an abnormality at his C2 vertebrae. For several days, doctors were not 100 percent sure what it was. After a change of hospitals, the new set of doctors recognized immediately that, in fact, he had no more C2 vertebrae. “It had been almost completely replaced by a tumor and there were several more throughout my spine and in my leg,” Fontana said.

“My first thought was to stay positive because there was no use feeling bad for myself. But really, it was more about staying as strong as possible for my family. Erica was with me for the diagnosis, but what about my three kids and my parents? How should I be for them? How do you tell your kids that dad has cancer? I wanted to learn as much as possible as fast as possible so I could reassure them when the time came.

“My neck was completely broken through and my head wasn’t reattached with rods and screws until September 21. Those two weeks were the least pleasant of my entire life. The only way to describe the pain was that it felt electrical in nature. Like a horrible shock every time I moved or nodded off to sleep. After surgery, it was much more bearable and then it was just about healing and regaining range of motion. Because of where the break occurred, I ended up losing over 50 percent of my neck rotation permanently, so I’m pretty easy to sneak up on these days. Otherwise it doesn’t bother me much today.”

Fontana’s cancer was treated first with radiation, then chemotherapy and immunotherapy for several months and eventually a full stem cell transplant in May, 2023. “The radiation and therapy were much better than I expected,” Fontana said. “An incredibly friendly hospital environment and a strong wife and kids made the side effects feel like just a passing phase. The stem cell transplant, though, in which all of my bone marrow was basically destroyed and then rebuilt, was more dramatic. It involved an extended hospital stay and a long summer of recovery.”

Fontana, 52, who lives in Wilmette and is the father of three hockey-playing children, has faced 
multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer that can show up as tumors in your bones, with the bravery of a goalie facing a flashy forward on a breakaway.

Multiple myeloma can relapse, so the term remission isn’t generally used, Fontana said. “After the stem cell transplant, it wasn’t detectable, and now I’m taking immunotherapy drugs to keep it away as long as possible,” he said.

Hockey has long been an anchor for the Fontana five over the past four years.

“The hockey community is our family,” John said. “While Erica was taking care of me, they were supporting her and our three kids. Even before my surgery, our hockey friends had already collected an insane amount of gift cards for meals. I’m not sure it was possible to know at the time how important these would be to us, but over months and months of hospital trips, we were able to practically live on their support. Between meals and carpools for our kids, I credit the hockey community with a big part of keeping us afloat through that time.”

John noted that another hockey parent connected them to his team of doctors. “He is a neurosurgeon in the same department and did so much to guide us through the process,” John said. “Another hockey parent helped coach me through how to share the news with my kids. We are forever grateful to them.”

In January 2023, he was in the middle of his treatment and debating whether or not to go through with the stem cell transplant. His daughters, Elise and Lia, were playing in the Chicago Mission in their annual “Pink in the Rink” cancer event. “Another hockey parent purchased a ceremonial luminary for me. I was standing next to Dominic when they read my name and I could see how it impacted him. That’s when I decided to go through with the stem cell transplant,” John said.

As the 2026-27 season starts, John and Erica now only have Elise’s games and practices to attend locally on a regular basis. She plays for the New Trier girls’ team, the defending Illinois high school state champion, and Chicago Mission 16U. Dominic is a freshman at Indiana University, was a forward last season for New Trier Green – and a fan in the stands at Allstate Arena this past March when Elise and the Trevians celebrated their win over Fenwick. Lia is a forward for Michigan State University’s women’s Division I hockey team in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), and she formerly skated for the Windy City Storm.

“I feel fine today,” he said. “The stiff neck is a constant reminder, but it’s well worth still having the ability to watch my kids and our friends’ kids grow up in and out of the rink. I like to say I had the luckiest broken neck in history.”

Emotions, and no doubt tears, will be plentiful on Saturday, October 3, when Elise skates in the Mission’s Pink In The Rink, a day centered on a simple message: Together Against Cancer.

October is “a very humbling time,” John said. “We just lost a close friend this year to brain cancer and know several others in the thick of their battles. Every check-in visit to the hospital is a reminder that there are so many others who are much worse off than I ever was.”

Dominic, 18, was a left-handed shooting center for the Trevians. He also formerly skated for the Chicago Bulldogs, Highland Park Falcons and Wilmette Braves – and was a two-time state runner-up, five-time CSDHL honor roll member.

Dominic didn’t hesitate when asked his career highlight: “Having my dad as my first coach,” he answered.

Dominic said the past four years led him to be more self-reliant. “Watching my dad battle cancer every day has put more meaning into everything I do – school, hockey, jobs, the gym, anything,” he said. “Little things start to mean more, and it’s brought me closer to my siblings and those I love. My dad has always loved watching his kids play hockey, and it makes him proud to see us overcome challenges and work toward something meaningful every day.

“There are no friendship bonds that are stronger than those of a hockey team. Many of my best memories from the past four years have been with teammates on and off the ice. Whether you need a smile, a good laugh, or a tough conversation, they’re there for you.”

Dominic added: “The culture of New Trier Hockey is unlike the culture of any other team I’ve played on. The teams are very good, but that’s only half the story. The No. 1 priority is team bonding. Everyone does everything together, all the time. Your teammates become your best friends, and everyone is held accountable. (New Trier Green head coach) Adam Cheris has been building this team culture ever since he’s taken over, and it made for unforgettable years playing for New Trier.”

Said Cheris: “John is a father who really understands the game of hockey and has a refreshing parental view on players. He said to me many times, ‘I’m just so happy Dominic is playing for you; I don’t care what his role is; he will do whatever he’s asked – that’s what my kids do. And he’ll do it with a smile on his face.’

“That’s exactly what Dominic did.”

Elise, 16, is a junior at New Trier, a left-handed shooting defenseman. She was named to the 2025 National Championship All-Tournament Team, the 2025 USA Hockey U15 Development Camp, assistant captain for her Mission team this year, and is a two-time high school state champion and three-time Tier I state champion.

Despite starring on the ice, Elise admitted her anxiety skyrocketed over the past four years. “I began to worry about everything, whether or not it was related to my dad. The experience, though, has made me more grateful for the present, especially spending time with my friends and family.”

Hockey has been Elise’s escape, her comfort. “I know I always have my teammates at the rink to lean on when it’s been a hard day,” she said. “My teammates were a big part of what got me through, especially when my dad first received his diagnosis, and they continue to be an important part of my staying afloat.”

Elise’s hockey journey often includes taking post-game pictures with teammates and friends, and foes too. It’s one of her favorite parts of game night.

“I began a tradition with one of my assistant coaches at the Mission where every day we ask each other two questions: ‘What did you have for lunch today?’ and ‘What was one good thing about your day?’” Elise said. “This daily interaction has become much more than just a conversation to me. It helps me remember to think about the positives when I had a bad day or I’m in a bad
headspace. I don’t know if she realizes the impact our conversations have on me, but
they have been incredibly helpful.”

Elise will be in pink jersey No. 11 on Oct. 3 when she and her Mission teammates skate together against cancer. Just wearing the jersey “means a lot to me,” she said. “The most meaningful thing I do (that days) is, I have a piece of pink tape near the top of my stick with our friend’s name on it. She passed away after fighting a long battle, but having her name on my stick reminds me who I’m playing for. I play for her, her family, her friends, my dad, my family, and everyone who is affected by cancer.”

Slapshots With … Former New Trier Green Forward Dominic Fontana

Favorite NHL Team: Detroit Red Wings
Favorite NHL Player: Pat Maroon
Favorite Sports-themed Movie: Happy Gilmore
Favorite Pre-game Meal: Panda Express Orange Chicken
Favorite app: Snapchat
Celebrity You’d Like To Meet: Shane Gillis

Slapshots With … New Trier Girls Defenseman Elise Fontana

Favorite NHL Team: Detroit Red Wings
Favorite NHL Player: Phil Kessel
Favorite Sports-themed Movie: Miracle
Favorite TV Show: COPS
Motivational Song: Country in the Clouds by Dylan Marlowe and Conner Smith
Favorite Pre-game Meal: Açaí bowl
Favorite app: Instagram
Celebrity You’d Like To Meet: Megan Moroney
The Quote: “I have also gotten to spend a lot more time with my dad with him staying home and able to drive me to practice, take me to tournaments. Overall, this journey has brought us a lot closer than I think we would have ever been without it.”