Susan Wright receiving condolences on the death of her son, JJ Wright (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Anthony Corea

MEMORIAL SKATE

‘It’s meant everything to us’: Casorso, Wright families reflect on support received at memorial skate

Feb 23, 2026 | 3:08 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s been three weeks since junior hockey players Cameron Casorso, JJ Wright and Caden Fine were involved in a deadly highway collision with a semi truck on their way to hockey practice in southern Alberta.

Casorso and Wright, who were playing for the Southern Alberta Mustangs, have ties to the community as they grew up playing hockey in Kamloops. On Sunday night (Feb. 22), hundreds of people, including former and current teammates as well as friends and family members, showed up to a memorial skate hosted at the Riverside Park skating loop.

“I couldn’t wait to be here for this,” said a teary-eyed Chris Wright, JJ’s father. “As you saw, we get held up by a lot of people who want to come and say hi, and that’s been really nice. It does help… It does help.”

“I think it’s great because a lot of these kids have played hockey together for and against each other over the years,” Christine Casorso, Cameron’s mom, noted. “It’s just a nice way for them to recognize, you know, what the kids meant to the community.”

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The Wright and Casorso families received hugs and condolences throughout the night. The boys grew up within the Kamloops Minor Hockey Association (KMHA). The support received from the hockey community, locally and across the globe, is helping Mom and Dad through tough times.

“It’s meant everything to us,” said Susan Wright, JJ’s mother. “It’s a very terrible time and to have all that support and love has meant the world to us.”

“It’s been phenomenal. It’s been overwhelming,” remarked Jason Casorso, Cameron’s dad. “The amount of people that have reached out, to support us and the other families. It’s just been, it’s been amazing.” 

Sunday’s memorial skate was organized by the KMHA and the Kamloops Storm. A way to pay tribute to the three boys. Something the parents feel has been done.

“He would absolutely love it,” Casoro’s parents agreed. “Yes, he would be out there on the ice if he could.”

“He’d be smiling. He’d be smiling and he would be making a ruckus,” said the Wrights. “He’d be wearing this crazy hat and running around and having fun with his friends.”

Cameron Casorso and JJ Wright were 18 years old from Kamloops. Caden Fine was 17 years old from Birmingham, Alabama.