Hope through hockey: Florida Panthers fan Cesar Lucero embodies heart of 'Cardiac Cats'

If the Florida Panthers were cardiac cats on the ice in the Stanley Cup finals, super-fan Cesar Lucero was certainly one off of it.

When the Panthers gathered in downtown Fort Lauderdale to celebrate winning the Stanley Cup on Sunday, it was a dream come true for Lucero, who has been a Panthers fan since 1996.

But Sunday was about more than just team fandom and hockey success for Lucero.

Other fans tossed drinks in the air, cheered at the top of their lungs during the rally, and welcomed goosebumps that accompanied highlights reels on the jumbotron.

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Lucero did that, too. But for him, Sunday was also about heart, about hope, and about an experience that made all the pain and suffering he's dealt with fade away, if just for a little while.

Lucero grew up with osteogenesis imperfecta -- a genetic brittle bone disorder -- which resulted in short stature that prevents Lucero from walking in addition to the danger of his bones easily breaking.

"My escape from all the pain and suffering was watching sports," he said, and then on Sunday, posted this on X: "All the bad things I've dealt with the last two years, gone," following an emotional hug from Panthers head coach Paul Maurice.

Lucero didn't get to see Florida's journey to the Stanley Cup finals last season.

He was in a coma.

Having gone in for an operation for bone cancer in 2023 -- a routine, minor operation that was supposed to be in-and-out for Lucero -- doctors rushed to place the then-37-year old into a medically-induced coma when his heart stopped.

"I ended up dying for three-and-a-half minutes," Lucero said. "And they resuscitated me. So, they had to put me in an induced coma for three-and-a-half weeks. I missed the whole playoff run."

"My best friend Shauna, she would always go to the hospital every single day," he said. "She brought towels from the games. And the first thing I said when I got out of the induced coma was, 'let's go Panthers.' And everybody just starts laughing, 'that's the first thing you say?' And I was like, 'yeah, I guess that's the only thing I had on my mind.'"

While Lucero recovered his strength across the next few weeks, the Panthers did the same across the next few months, endeavoring to get back to the finals for a chance at winning 'Lord Stanley.'

This year, that came to fruition.

"Seeing them win the Stanley Cup was something I've never dreamed about," Lucero said. "Just so much emotion."

And the Panthers really have been there in his life, from inviting him to morning skates, to owner Vincent Viola recognizing him in an elevator during a game against the Rangers, to Maurice's hug at the parade -- a moment that brought raw emotion to Lucero's voice.

"That meant so much for him to do that," Lucero said. "It was the highlight of my life. That's something I'll cherish the rest of my life. The team's always been there."

On Sunday, they were there for each other.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Hope through hockey: Florida Panthers fan Cesar Lucero embodies heart of 'Cardiac Cats'