"The Martins agreed - and then made sure it felt like home. Knowing Schaefer lost his mother, Jennifer, to cancer last February, Sydney framed family photos and placed them in his room. "We didn't know if he was going to get emotional," she said, so they sent daughter Winnie to reveal the room. "He was touched... and very thankful." The bond has formed quickly."
"Schaefer and Martin connected quickly after the draft. "He met Matt right after the draft, so he instantly... took a connection to him," Sydney said Wednesday on Boomer & Gio. Schaefer began coming over for dinners, and comfort, not convenience, became the deciding factor. "His dad... said to Matt, 'He's really comfortable at your house... loves being with your kids... do you think you guys would take him in?'""
"The bond has formed quickly. "He gets to see Alice every morning, and she goes nuts," Sydney said of their almost-three-year-old. "It's like she hasn't seen him in four days." On the ice, Schaefer has delivered a six-game point streak to open his career - but it is the off-ice support system that may matter more. Martin, now a special assistant to GM Mathieu Darche, has gone from fourth-line enforcer to live-in mentor."
Matthew Schaefer, an 18-year-old New York Islanders rookie defenseman, is living with Matt and Sydney Martin and their four young children. Schaefer connected with Matt Martin immediately after the draft and began coming over for dinners. Comfort, not convenience, prompted Schaefer's father to ask the Martins to take him in. The Martins decorated Schaefer's room with family photos after learning his mother, Jennifer, died of cancer last February. The family routines include mornings with toddler Alice and off-ice mentorship from Martin, now a special assistant to GM Mathieu Darche, while Schaefer has produced a six-game point streak to open his career.
Read at Eyes On Isles
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