Paul Rosen: From Paralympic Hero to Antisemitism Fighter

0:00Paul Rosen made history as Canada's oldest Paralympic hockey rookie at age 40, joining the national team in 2001. He played goalie in three-winter Paralympics, snagging gold in Torino in 2006, and led Canada to world championship gold in 2008. But amid those triumphs, he faced ugly anti-Semitism from opponents right on the ice. During high-stakes games, including the Paralympics, rivals hurled slurs at him, targeting his Jewish faith. Rosen says it hit hard, even sparking fights, like one where he broke an opponent's jaw after a Hitler reference. These moments haunted him, turning competitive fire into deep pain that lingered long after whistles. The hay didn't stay on the rink. It fueled mental health battles and addiction after his 2010 retirement. His leg injury 25 years back, broken in 14 places, led to amputation and endless surgeries adding to the toll. Proud of his heritage, he couldn't shake the depression from those attacks. Today in Toronto, Rosen watches his grandkids play soccer,

1:02while speaking out against rising anti-Semitism. He poured his story into a 2021 book called Never Give Up, vowing to fight Jew hate forever. His resolve reminds us that athletes like Rosen turn personal scars into calls for change, pushing back against bigotry wherever it shows up. From your city, powered by AI, this is Canada News Today.