Family of Pete Frates Speaks After Release From Hospital

Boston had a chance Friday to see NHL greats, both past and present, up close.

It's the Boston University vs. Boston College "Comm. Ave. Classic" at BU's Walter Brown arena, and it raises money for Compassionate Care ALS, Pete Frates' charity, and the Travis Roy Foundation.

Frates is the founder of the Ice Bucket Challenge.

Roy, a former BU hockey player, was paralyzed from the neck down 11 seconds into his first college hockey game. His foundation raises money for research for spinal cord injuries.

"Pete Frates played baseball at BC, it's just a natural event, and it's fun to have fundraisers that are fun," said Roy.

Absent this year, though, is Frates himself. His family says he's home on a date night with his wife after being released from the hospital, where he spent about two weeks fighting infections.

"We've had a tough week, but our main issue was getting Pete home, out of the hospital," said Andrew Frates, Pete's brother. "Two days ago he's home, and now he's having a nice movie night with his wife."

"I literally had to sneak out the back door because if he saw me leaving, he'd want to jump in the van and go with me, and we knew and it's against medical orders," Pete's dad, John Frates, said. "It's not best for him with his infection still."

John Frates also says he forgives a journalist who incorrectly tweeted that Pete had died while he was still in the hospital.

"It's insensitive and irresponsible, but for 10 minutes of incredible anxiety, it turned out to be one of the most generous gifts, because ALS awareness spiked, Pete's cause spiked, but also donations spiked to his home health care initiative," he said.

Pete's family says he wants to thank everyone for all their support, including the people who came out Friday and all the hockey players.

Boston University won the game 8-6.

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