Yahoo Sports Joe McMahon & His Islanders Brotherhood For Good
On Friday night, the stories were flying ahead of the 23rd Annual McMahon Family Golf Outing.
The charity, The Lee & Aidan McMahon Foundation, which benefits the Hospice Care Network and American Liver Foundation, was founded by Joe McMahon and his siblings, Tom and Mike.
Joe served as the New York Islanders' trainer for 19 seasons, from 1985-2004. He was and still is beloved by any player that walked through his doors during his tenure.
That was evident by the 20 or so Islanders' alumni who were on hand for the dinner and the golf outing the next day.
The McMahon story is one of tragedy, perseverance, and the importance of family.
Joe lost his 13-month-old son to liver complications while working with the team in 2002, a few years after losing his mother to brain cancer.
The tragic loss of his son was unexplainably tough for Joe and his family, but the support from his Islanders family proved incredibly large in getting him through it.
Written at NHL.com, McMahon shared that, "It means everything to me that the organization was behind me. Mike Milbury was understanding of what I was going through. The love and support I got from the League at that time and my Islander family was incredible, and it helped my family get through it.”
McMahon was more than just a trainer for the Islanders. He was a brother to the players. He was family. He was Joe.
One story that came out of the dinner was about the relationship between Joe and former Islanders forward Claude Lapointe and the role Claude played when tragedy struck.
Before Claude came to the Islanders, signing as a free agent in the summer of 1996, Joe had a special relationship with Pierre Turgeon.
The two were extremely close during Turgeon's four years on Long Island, and both cried uncontrollably when the Hockey Hall of Famer was dealt to the Canadiens at the 1995 NHL Trade Deadline.
But trades happen in sports, and life must go on.
That didn't mean that Joe and Pierre's relationship stopped, as the two are close to this day.
Bill Heffernan
When Lapointe was acquired shortly after, Joe was responsible for ensuring that the newcomer had everything he needed upon arrival.
The two got on the phone, and Joe impressed the then 28-year-old forward with some French sentences—Turgeon was his tutor.
"Who is this guy?" Lapointe recalled about that phone call.
The two became best friends, sharing rooms on every road trip and having meals together when possible.
In 2002, Lapointe's sixth and final season on Long Island, McMahon lost his son, something no parents should ever have to endure.
The team had learned about the tragedy Joe and his family were facing while on the road in San Jose.
Lapointe couldn't fathom what Joe was going through, and all he wanted to do was be by his brother's side.
So, that's what he did.
"When it happened, teammates, management, the general manager, and the coaching staff knew how close I was with Joe," Lapointe shared. I asked if it was okay if I went to be with Joe. I was surprised they said yes. I was really surprised.
"Even if we were athletes, family comes first no matter what. The money doesn't matter, the job doesn't matter. Family comes first, and Joe felt lonely a lot of times, so I felt it was the right thing to do for me to support him.
Bill Heffernan
Lapointe continued: "It was late at night when I got there, but I don't regret anything about that. That's what friends do, and that's what I did. It's going to stay with me for the rest of my life."
This was a moment that meant everything to Joe, who did need the support.
"He showed up at my house and spent the night with me," Joe said. We're talking about a high-character person."
For people who have played on sports teams, the best part is just being part of the team and that bond that grows from teammates who are intro brothers.
Because when you hang up the skates, the times you remember are the dinners, the road trips, and the locker room conversations.
Those friendships aren't forgotten, and luckily enough, McMahon and Lapointe have remained close long after both of their careers ended.
"We've been friends for over 25 years, and we just have a great relationship," Lapointe said. "With what happened with his son, we became closer and closer to this day.
"I have so much respect for Joey and the way he handled himself. You hear so many stories, and when you lose a child, the parents, it's really hard for them. It was really hard for him and his wife, but I was just happy to be alongside him, to comfort him and support him. Every time he needed to talk or to cry, I was always there."
While McMahon still lives on Long Island, Lapointe lives in Mexico, so Friday was the first time the two had seen each other in a few years.
"We are still the same. We have the same relationship," Lapointe said. We hadn't seen each other in three or four tears, but every time we talk or we see each other, it's like I never left Long Island."
Together again, it was like the two were both back at their job, with McMahon at the skate sharpener and Lapointe gearing up to hit the ice...waiting for his skates.
Cheers to friendships and the ones where friends become family.
To learn more about the Lee & Aidan McMahon Foundation, head to their website.
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