It was a standing ovation Friday night for Pete Frates, who dropped the ceremonial first puck at an alumni hockey game, the inaugural Comm. Ave Charity Classic, between Boston University and Boston College at BU's Walter Brown Arena.
A total of $55,000 was raised to fight ALS.
The lineup was also a celebrity-studded one, including current and former NHL and Bruins players like Hall of Famer Ray Bourque.
"What an incredible idea, what a way to see great caliber hockey and to keep Pete's mission to strike out ALS at the forefront of everyone's mind," said Pete's father, John Frates.
New Jersey Devils forward Stephen Gionta played for BC.
"I went to school with Pete, I knew him socially, but not as well as I would have liked, and you see everything - the ice bucket challenge and everything - so it was something I jumped at to come," said Gionta.
Pete Frates, a former BC baseball player, husband and dad, was diagnosed with ALS in 2012.
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"Pete is struggling, but his spirits are very high. You'll see him tonight, he is on life support, or on the ventilator, so that has been a game changer," said John Frates. "But again, with the support of the community, the embrace of the Boston sports world, and the epicenter of ALS awareness right here in Boston."
This charity game comes as round two of the Ice Bucket Challenge ramps up again in August.
That's where people dump buckets of ice water on their heads to promote awareness and raise donations for ALS research.
So far, through the ice bucket challenge, Pete has helped raise more than $100 million for the cause.
However, all money raised Friday will not go toward the ice bucket challenge, but rather to Compassionate Care ALS, an organization that supports and cares for those who living with disease.
"The breadth of our work is incredible extreme, physical support emotional support, we work with families in Mass, New England, around the country," said Ronald Hoffman of Compassionate Care ALS.
Pete's mom, Nancy, says the ice bucket challenge will continue every August until there is a cure.
The game was also in honor of Dick Kelley, BC's Sports Information Director who recently lost his battle with ALS.
