NHL Alumni Jordin Tootoo headlines the 10th Annual A Mental Health Morning
Please join us on Thursday, October 6, 2022 for our 10th annual A Mental Health Morning! Attend from the comfort of your home or join us in-person at Michelangelo Banquet Centre as we announce our 2022 Spirit of Hope Award Winners and hear a powerful keynote address from Jordin Tootoo as he shares his personal mental health story.
Jordin Tootoo
First Inuk Player in the NHL | Mental Health Advocate
The first Inuk player in history to be drafted by the NHL, Jordin Tootoo announced his retirement after 13 years in the league, turning his focus to giving back to the communities he knows and loves. Of Inuit and Ukrainian descent, Tootoo is not just the first Inuk player, but also the first one raised in Nunavut to play in the NHL. As an Indigenous athletic leader, Tootoo has long understood his responsibility as a role model. He speaks openly about the need for mental health resources and is passionate about fighting the taboos around discussing mental illness. He is committed to reaching Canada’s Indigenous communities through his work with the Team Tootoo Foundation, founded in honor of his late brother Terence.
Tootoo was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal for his work in Nunavut promoting healthy living and encouraging conversations about difficult topics like addiction and suicide. “It’s part of Canada that a lot of people struggle with mental health and addiction, suicide — these issues are a national epidemic. I feel that, at this point in my life, it’s my calling to give back to a lot of these remote communities,” says Tootoo. Bestselling author of the memoir All The Way: My Life on Ice, Tootoo brings an uplifting message to his audiences, creating a culture of inspired inclusivity with authentic hockey and community stories.
