Theodore had to deal with some adversity on the ice at the end of last season, losing his starting job in goal. But that loss hardly mattered when his 2-month-old son, Chace, passed away last summer from respiratory complications related to his premature birth.
Since then, Theodore not only regained his starting job, but also had his best season since winning the Hart and Vezina trophies in 2001-02, posting a 30-7-7 record with a 2.81 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage to help the Capitals win the Presidents' Trophy.
What's of greater importance is the way he has handled himself in the locker room, with fans and the media, and with "Saves for Kids," the new charity Theodore and his wife Stephanie founded to benefit the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the hospital in which Chace spent his entire brief life.
With Saves for Kids, Theodore wanted to create a foundation to honor his son's life and give back to the hospital where he and his wife had spent so many days in the summer.
At Children's National Medical Center, the 54-bed quaternary-level unit (now termed Level IIIC, the highest distinction available by the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines) is one of the region's major neonatal referral centers for sick newborn and/or infants (ages birth to three months). Children's NICU services more than 40 in-region and out-of-region hospitals.
At the end of the season Theodore will make a donation to the NICU at Children's National based on his statistics, donating $2 for every save, $100 for every win and $500 for each shutout. F.H. Furr Plumbing Heating Air Conditioning Inc., a Lennox Premier Dealer, will match Theodore's donation dollar for dollar during the regular season. During the playoffs, Theodore will up the ante, donating $5 for every save, $200 for every win, $750 for every shutout and an additional $500 for every playoff round won.
"I think it was tough for him at the start, but I think coming to the rink was an escape for him to try and forget about things, but that's easier said than done," teammate Matt Bradley said. "I don't know if I could have done as good of a job as he's done. It shows what kind of a person he is to be able to stay focused and do his job."
Added teammate Brendan Morrison: "He's been very engaging, and he hasn't distanced himself at all. He's been the consummate teammate. Nobody would begrudge him if he were distant because everyone knows his situation, but he, somehow, has been able to keep his personal life from negatively affecting his job. I have a lot of admiration and respect for him."
Fans also have the opportunity to donate to Saves for Kids via PayPal on WashingtonCaps.com, either pledging based on Theodore's statistics or making a one-time donation.
