Colorado Sled Hockey president earns NHL "hero" nomination

• The honor, for which he was recently nominated, is given annually to people showing exemplary community service through hockey.

Flashback: While working in a coal mine in Trinidad, Colorado in October 2011, he was accidentally struck on-site by a utility vehicle, losing his legs.

• As he waited for help, DeVaul, who is Catholic, prayed to stay alive. In return, he pledged to help others live with a disability he suddenly realized he'd also have to overcome.
• "As soon as you spare my life, I will do what I have to do to inspire people daily," he said he remembers praying to God.

Zoom in: DeVaul, a U.S. Army veteran who lives in Colorado Springs, picked up sled hockey in 2016 after his wife, Regina DeVaul, noticed a bus advertising the sport. It's a variation of the game for players with physical disabilities —

The latest: He now coaches adults and kids while playing the sport competitively.

• In a promotional video released by the NHL, people DeVaul works with shared how he's impacted their lives, including a fellow player who credits DeVaul with helping him feel included after his military discharge.

What he's saying: "It's a great feeling to know that you help someone, change them, and get them on a path of bettering themselves," DeVaul tells us.

What's next: He will join two other finalists in Las Vegas for the award announcement on June 28.