Brendan Gallagher opens up about terrible family tragedy.

A little less than two weeks ago it was revealed that the mother of Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher was currently dealing with a stage 4 glioblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer that has a high rate of recurrence. The news was announced by Brendan's sister, Bree, when she launched a fundraiser in her mother's honor to help raise funds for other families that may be suffering through a similar situation but don't have access to the same resources or medical care.

Up until recently however Brendan Gallagher himself had remained silent on the topic, but this week the hard working Canadiens forward broke his silence on the matter and spoke publicly for the first time about his mother's condition. To the surprise of absolutely no one, Gallagher admitted that the mental strain of his mother's condition has taken a significant toll on his play.

"I’ve struggled with it at times,” admitted Gallagher as per Eric Engels. "Especially the first year, there were some tough times."

Thankfully for Gallagher, he has an excellent support network that has been by his side as he goes through this terrible ordeal. Gallagher admitted that his partner has played a significant role in keeping his head in the right space.

"I think having (fiancée) Emma at home is huge for me, being able to talk to her. Especially being away from the family — you call back as much as you can, but it’s been tough," said the Habs forward.

Unfortunately this ordeal is one that is ongoing for Brendan Gallagher and his family but hopefully through the fundraiser and by speaking out publicly they can have a positive impact on other families living through similar situations.