Mother of John Doe #2 shares heartbreaking details of her son's abuse from Brad Aldrich

TSN investigative reporter Rick Westhead has published an interview that he conducted with the mother of John Doe #2, as identified in a third party investigation of the Chicago Blackhawks' sexual abuse scandal. The identity of John Doe #2 and his mother is still unknown, but we do know that John Doe #2 was a high school hockey player who was sexually assaulted by former Blackhawks video-coach Brad Aldrich in 2013.

John Doe #2 is currently suing the Blackhawks for enabling and allowing Aldrich to go on to commit further crimes all the while knowing what had happened between Aldrich and former Blackhawks prospect Kyle Beach in 2010. While Beach's allegations against Aldrich have yet to be confirmed in a court of law, Aldrich was convicted of sexually assaulting John Doe #2 while the latter was a member of the Houghton High School boys hockey team in 2013. John Doe #2 maintains that it was the Blackhawks' positive references that enabled him to gain future employment in the industry and commit crimes against underage boys, with himself being the victim. Aldrich was arrested and convicted of sexual assault on John Doe #2 in 2014, he served nine months in prison and five years of probation.

Today, John Doe #2's mother spoke with Westhead and.... well frankly... some of these quotes are difficult to read. As a parent myself I can't imagine the Hell that this woman has had to go through and that's saying nothing about the torment that her son has endured.

While Westhead's full story is worth a read, as is the video he published online.

I've collected some of the most compelling parts from both below. All quotes are from the mother of John Doe #2.

On Kyle Beach and his courage to come forward:

“I just wanted to reach through and hold him…,” she said during a series of interviews with TSN over the past week. “I just wanted to tell him that everything is going to be okay, it’s got to be okay. He’s not at fault for this at all, not at all. He’s a survivor, like my son. Yes, they were victims, but they’re surviving now. And he is so courageous, and we admire him… I just wanted to hold him like I held my son. And tell him I’m sorry. It didn’t have to happen.”

On Gary Bettman and his involvement in the alleged cover-up:

“I think [Bettman] needs a new job, that he needs to retire,” she said. “I don’t think he has empathy for kids, or even young adults. And if he needs more information, I got a whole folder full of it here for him he can read. I’ve got the court documents of the conviction. If he needs more information to help my son, I have it. I’m more than willing to scan it and send it over to him…”

She goes on to explain how she discovered that her son had been assaulted by Aldrich. She recalls how her son's behavior had suddenly changed and that she discovered empty bottles of Benadryl littered throughout his bedroom. She confronted her son and said that the boy's girlfriend deserved better than he had been treating her.

“I told him she didn’t deserve to date a loser,” she said. “He never raised his voice, ever to me, and he screamed in my face, ‘Do you want to know, Mom? Do you? Do you want to know why I’m a loser, Mom? Do you want to know why?’ As he yelled in my face I was in complete shock. And that’s when those horrible words came out. He said, ‘Because I was raped, Mom.’ I just held him and screamed, ‘No, no, no.’ That’s all I could say.”

Now, if that doesn't break your heart as a parent, I don't know what will.

It was at that moment that John Doe #2's mother says her life and her son's life were changed forever. The boy became withdrawn and his love for the sport of hockey died.

“He had huge amounts of hockey cards, almost every player you could think of – probably 10, 15, 20 of the same person. Now... he’s basically not even really watching the game." 

Lawyers for the Blackhawks and John Doe #2 are currently engaged in settlement negotiations. Here's hoping this kid takes the team to the cleaners and that it somehow makes his life better.