NJ Devils bring holiday cheer to Goryeb Children's Hospital

MORRISTOWN - Almost the minute Cory Schneider, Mike Cammalleri and David Schlemko walked into Goryeb Children's Hospital, 10-year-old Lucy Jones spotted them.

The petite blonde from White Meadow Lake spied the three New Jersey Devils from a second-floor overlook, and waved down to them.

A few minutes later, Jones had dashed downstairs and was showing Cammalleri her stuffed Pokemon and exchanging fist bumps with Schneider.

It wasn't the first time she'd met National Hockey League players while at Morristown Medical Center. Jones, who spent the first 11 weeks of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit and is "treated like she has cystic fibrosis" according to her mother, Karen Jones, got her photo taken with other Devils players seven years ago this week.

Cammalleri, Schneider and Schlemko visited the pediatric inpatient unit and infusion center, one of eight groups of players bringing holiday cheer — and what Cammalleri described as "team swag" — to New Jersey hospitals on Thursday afternoon.

"I'm going to be here a long time. At least, that's what my contract says," said Schneider, the Devils' goaltender and a new father to 8-week-old Wyatt. "I'd like to get more integrated into the community. It's fun to see a smile come to their faces. ... You put yourself in the kids' shoes or the parents' shoes. You want to be home with your family, and you have to be in the hospital. They want to be normal kids doing kid things."

The self-described biggest sports fan on the unit, 13-year-old Collin Berg had been tipped off to the Devils' visit and had a neighbor bring lots of special memorabilia to his hospital room. Supported by a Yankees pillow and covered by a Yankees blanket, Berg also wore a black Nets ski hat and Notre Dame green-and-blue top.

The players autographed Berg's custom No. 8 Devils jersey, and remarked on the flaming foam finger behind his bed.

"Goalies are crazy," said Cammalleri, a 33-year-old left wing, gesturing at Schneider. "That puck is coming at him 100 miles an hour, and he lets it hit him."

A seventh-grader from Budd Lake who is being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Berg said the visit made him feel "a little bit" better.

"It's cool seeing their appreciation for people in the hospital," said Berg, who hopes to attend Syracuse University and go into sports broadcasting.

Ryan Jantelle of Bedminster was covered from head to toe in scrubs when the Devils stopped by his room, but he'd been anxiously waiting for them all day. Jantelle, 6, had been at the hospital since Sunday recovering from pneumonia and newly diagnosed asthma, but, proudly declared, "I get to go home! Finally!"

He held up the weathered red T-shirt the players had given him, and the hem almost reached his toes. He also gripped a black rubber puck, freshly autographed, dropping it and trying to kick it around the floor.

"It's humongous," said Jantelle, announcing that Schneider is his favorite player. "With my puck, I'm going to play hockey with my feet. I love my puck."

Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@gannettnj.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/