Sheldon Keefe visits Belfast to celebrate brother Adam Keefe's jersey retirement in a tearful salute
New Jersey Devils bench boss Sheldon Keefe made a return visit recently to Belfast, Northern Ireland, to mark a milestone occasion in the career of his little brother,
Adam Keefe
, whose jersey was retired by the Belfast Giants.
What transpired was not only a salute to Adam's on- and off-ice legacy but also a tender moment for a family of hockey players who rarely crossed professional paths but are forever intertwined by the sport.
Adam Keefe honoured by Belfast Giants as Sheldon Keefe part of memorable weekend celebration
As Adam Keefe's No. 47 jersey was hoisted to the rafters of SSE Arena in Belfast, the deafening roar of gratitude wasn't solely for a talented hockey player—it was for an individual who has become an anchor of the Belfast Giants organization and society.
To celebrate the occasion, Adam's older brother, Sheldon Keefe, made his first-ever trip to Northern Ireland to see the birthday party.
"It was amazing,' Keefe shared of his experience. 'It was great to see him in his element and be a part of his testimonial night and his jersey retirement. Just to see how much he is loved in the community and learning and hearing so many stories about what he's brought to them, not just on the hockey side, but even just in the community, all the charitable work he does, especially with the hospitals and hospice.'
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The special format of a Testimonial Game—a UK hockey tradition—had Adam don the uniform one final time, coaching and playing alongside his former teammates and friends. It also became a family affair, as Sheldon and their dad shared the opposing bench. Although they had concurrent careers in hockey, the Keefe brothers never got to split the ice—one in North America, the other building a legacy in Britain.
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"I moved away from home around 16 to go play hockey," Keefe said.
"He was only 12 years old, so I missed kind of that. And then, as he enters junior hockey, I leave to go pro. Then as he became a pro, I was starting to get into coaching, so I've always kind of missed him, and as a result, haven't been as connected as you'd like to be to your brother and his career.He gave so much to it, but the way that he played the game, he played extremely hard, as tough an individual as you can as you'll ever find.
"
Now Belfast Giants head coach, Adam Keefe, came to Northern Ireland in 2011 as a hard-nosed forward. He hasn't left since. An integral part of the city's fabric over the years, he's become more than a coach—he's family. Married to a native Belfast woman with two daughters, Adam has established a life and legacy in a city that is foreign soil, gaining respect as much for who he is as for how he coaches.
Also read:
Seth Jones's silent romance: How the NHL star balances fame and privacy
The weekend also raised over £109,000 ($147,000) for Northern Ireland Hospice with the Odyssey Trust charity event—a further example of the tight-knit community Adam has assisted in developing. For Sheldon, the trip was greater than mere family support; it was a reminder of how hockey can cross boundaries.
For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the
India vs England Test match
here.
Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
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