CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Delton Teeter was a kid himself when the Nashville Predators came to Music City.
"I'm a big hockey fan," Teeter said overlooking an empty Ford Ice Center in his hometown of Clarksville.
He looked at me and simply said, "come on, I grew up with Wayne Gretzky."
Fair point. In my era, that's like growing up watching Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin battle it out.
Here's the deal though. Teeter didn't grow up skating or playing hockey. Now at 35, he's finally making his way on the ice.
"Good things happen to those who wait and if you take the time to do something, you're going to get something out of it," he said.
He waited ... and waited. He's a 35-year-old living a five-year-old's dream.
"Golly I feel like a kid again," he said. "I feel like, well, definitely a kid. I wanted to do this as a kid and never got to do it."
For this man raised in Clarksville, he sees a reflection of himself.
"Say 'go daddy!'" said Delton's wife, Alaina, to their 23-month-old son, Wade.
We had the Ford Ice Center pretty much to ourselves this past Monday. For the first few minutes, Alaina and Wade watched Delton on the ice.
"I didn't show him the way of hockey," Delton said. "He showed me."
He — is his almost two-year-old son.
I can't put these moments into words. They're too precious, so I suggest you take a look at the player above.
"Got him a little foam hockey stick and started hitting it around the house," Delton said.
Basically, while some kids like Mickey Mouse, Alaina says Wade loves the Predators and anything hockey.
"He immediately started hitting it around the house and I was like, well, I guess I better start catching up or I'm going to get left behind," Delton said.
Delton took skating lessons. He learned on synthetic ice in his garage.
"I need to learn, he kept looking at me like you need to get out here with me, and I practiced in the garage until I felt safe enough to skate with him and protect him," Delton added.
"They shoot pucks in my house and I let it happen," Alaina said. "Because I would never stop them from making those memories."
These memories — are a true miracle.
"It was a lot of doctors, a lot of doctors visits back and forth to Knoxville," Delton said.
"We were told by doctors that I would never get pregnant," Alaina said.
Like so many parents, Delton and Alaina faced struggles with fertility issues. They spent six years trying to have their first baby.
"Just told us it was never going to happen," Delton said.
In these skates, almost two sizes too big, a youth hockey stick cut down to meet Wade's size — never lose hope of making those memories with this miracle on ice.
"I just look at him and I just see my miracle baby," Alaina said.
Do you have a story you'd like to share for Take Time to Smile? You can email me at Austin.Pollack@newschannel5.com.
Get ready to get inspired - Tad found a second purpose later in life, turning his hobby into his full-time gig. He helps the planet, helps homeowners and finds fulfillment in a slower pace after being on the front-line during the pandemic.
-Rebecca Schleicher
