- A college athlete’s hockey team suspended him after he pushed an unoccupied wheelchair down the stairs.
- Carson Briere is the son of Daniel Briere, general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers.
- The owner of the wheelchair was being helped to use the bathroom when Briere pushed her.
The son of a professional ice hockey coach has been suspended from his college hockey team after a video of him pushing an empty wheelchair down the stairs of a bar went viral.
In the video, Carson Briere, a Mercyhurst University student and son of interim Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere, pushes an empty wheelchair up the stairs at Sullivan’s Pub & Eatery in Erie, Pennsylvania.
—Julia (@juliazukowski) March 14, 2023
He was suspended by the Mercyhurst men’s hockey team, along with two other unnamed teammates seen in the viral video.
Brier has apologized for his actions. “I am deeply sorry for my behavior on Saturday,” she said, adding that “there is no excuse for my actions and I will do everything I can to make up for this gross lack of judgement.” by access point.
In a statement Mercyhurst University posted on its Facebook page, a spokesperson said Briere’s actions “grieve our hearts and fall short of Mercy’s belief in the inherent dignity of every person.”
“We pray and stand in solidarity with the victim and all people with disabilities who legitimately find actions like these to be deeply offensive,” they added.
Sydney Benes, a double amputee, owns the wheelchair. At the time of the incident, she had left her wheelchair at the top of the stairs while her friend Julia Zukowski, who posted the video of her on Twitter, took her to the bathroom.
Zukowski too organize a fundraiser for Benes to raise $1,500 to replace the broken wheelchair.
—Sydney (@_legless_wonder) March 16, 2023
Zukowski has raised almost $9,000, and Benes has announced that he will use the money to replace his chair, but that any additional funds will go “to the disability community and to people who really need help.”
On Twitter, Benes said: “I’m so grateful for all of Sullivan’s help in this situation and the kind comments I see on Julia’s post. I swear I really don’t want to keep a dime of the donated money, I’d really like to.” rather give it to whoever needs it.”
in another tweetHe said Sullivan’s security had Briere come over to apologize, but Benes said he felt “very disingenuous.” After the apology, he said Briere asked, “Do I still have to go?” after being told by the staff to leave the bar.