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Ryan Straschnitzki says he was "flooded with emotion" as he rolled onto the mound at Rogers Centre to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a Toronto Blue Jays game last week.
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"It was really cool… I’m really glad I had the opportunity to do that," he said.
Straschnitzki was asked if the moment felt different from performing in front of crowds as an athlete.
"There was a little bit," he said. "It was nerve-wracking thinking about throwing a good pitch. But at the end of the day, you’re just there to do more than that. You’re there to be sort of a symbol, in a sense; announcers talk about you and your story, and you help promote the show that’s coming out."
He was in Toronto promoting We Were Broncos, a six-part documentary series that debuts tonight on AMI.
"We finished filming on my docuseries, We Were Broncos, in April," he said. "I was doing a bit of a media press tour to promote the show. I went through multiple radio stations and TV stations in Toronto on Tuesday, and helped promote the show that way. And then I went to the Blue Jays game and threw out the opening pitch."
During the interview, he was asked whether there was a moment that made him pause or want to hold back.
"Throughout the entire past few months of filming, I’ve given insight to my life that not a lot of people know about," he said. "I guess one of the most vulnerable moments is doing an interview and getting in-depth about my life and who I am as a person."
"I think it allows me to heal in a certain way. I guess it’s therapeutic," he added. "I have the opportunity to share my story and my perspective, and I think that allows me to stay motivated towards the future, in hopes that I can be an inspiration to many people watching."
He said there were no scenes he felt unsure about filming.
"I pretty much did everything as is," he said. "I didn’t really shy away from anything. So everything that people will watch… nothing’s being held back. It’s as close to reality TV as it can get."
He was also asked whether the idea of being on camera ever crossed his mind before the crash.
"My sights were set on potentially playing pro hockey and pursuing an education because of the sport," he said. "Being on camera or having this — writing a story — I don’t think was in my future card[s]. But I’m in this opportunity now, and I get the pleasure of getting to film a TV show about my life."
When the topic shifted to his pursuit of the 2028 Paralympics, Straschnitzki pointed to the values that have remained constant.
"I have innate abilities like my competitive drive and work ethic, and I think that doesn’t really change," he said. "But I think there have been a lot of experiences in my life that allowed me to develop and grow as a person and as an athlete."
In discussing what keeps him going on difficult days, Straschnitzki said:
"Motivation has to honestly come from within. Even though there are days that are harder to get things done, I think it’s important that you can do the small things."
"When we look at goals, oftentimes you want to make big, monumental steps each and every day. But sometimes that’s just not obtainable. So it’s important to do something to at least better one per cent. Whether that’s just getting out of bed, going outside, or catching up with a close friend — whatever that looks like — I think it can benefit you in more ways than one."
He added that the pressure to see immediate results can cloud the process.
"I think it definitely gets overlooked because we live in a society where we see such successful people, and we want to be in their shoes," he said. "At some point we feel like it’s kind of a race. It’s like, we don’t have time. We want to see results right away."
"But as I’ve learned throughout this entire journey — patience is a bit of a virtue. And it’s important to understand that it takes time to get where you want to go. Everything good takes time."
When the conversation turned to what outsiders might never fully grasp, he said:
"I don’t think a lot of people can relate to [the crash]. It was the 29 people affected, the families affected — and something that is so individualized and only something that me and my teammates can really talk about and relate to."
"Yes, I understand where people try to empathize and connect, and I’m more than happy to chat and connect in certain ways. But, I don’t think a whole lot of people will truly understand."
He was asked what he hopes viewers in Airdrie — and beyond — take away from the series.
"I hope [it] provides some sort of inspiration to people," he said. "Everyone’s going to face a form of adversity in their life, and it’s important to move forward. And it’s more important about what you do afterwards that matters most."
"Hopefully people can watch it — obviously gain some insight into my life and the inside world of para-sport — but also hopefully gain some inspiration to achieve their goals as well."
According to AMI, the debut episode of We Were Broncos is titled Moving Beyond Tragedy. The episode follows Straschnitzki as he explores which parasport may give him the best chance at representing Canada.
"We Were Broncos is about perseverance in life and adaptive sport," said Cara Nye, Director of Content Development and Production at AMI. "We sincerely thank Ryan, his family, and Prairie Cat Productions for allowing us to tell this story."
The series premieres tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv and will be available on demand for free on AMI+.
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