As the stepfather of a boy with Asperger syndrome, Dave Presta often found it difficult to connect with a son who rarely communicated and didn’t show much interest in anything other than playing with action figures and Legos.
Until one September day in 2021 when Dave and stepson Branden were hanging out in the basement of their home in the southwest suburbs and everything changed.
“We were watching TV and a commercial for the Wolves came on about the upcoming season and Branden said, ‘maybe I’d like to go see that,’ ” Dave recalled. “He wasn’t really interested in hockey at all before that. But he kept driving me nuts about going and finally I was like, ‘OK, let’s go.’ ”
Dave didn’t realize it at the time, but something special was about to happen at that first game during the 2021-22 season.
“Jokingly. after the first period I said, ‘you ready to go?’ and he said, ‘we’re staying the whole game.’ He paid attention and he wanted to come back for the next game and I told him we could do that. Three or four games in, we started to go to Rockford for Wolves games, too. He’d say, ‘let’s go see hockey, let’s go see hockey.’ ”
Attending Wolves games had a transformative effect on Branden that to this day Dave finds astounding.
“He just came out of his shell,” Dave said. “He went from wearing headphones because he didn’t like loud noises and not talking about anything other than Legos or Batman to not shutting up about the Wolves.”
Just like that, the Wolves had acquired arguably their biggest fan. How big? Branden and Dave Presta have attended 180 consecutive Wolves games—home and away.
Branden mows lawns in the summer and shovels driveways in the winter to pay for his own season tickets and is a can’t miss presence in Section 111, right behind the Wolves bench.
“I just love going to Wolves games,” Branden, 18, said. “It’s a good way to watch players develop their games. I like seeing our players go to the NHL like after we won the (Calder) Cup (in 2022).”
Players will often hand Branden sticks and pucks—which he often distributes to other young fans seated nearby.
“The environment and fan base at Allstate arena are really nice,” continued Branden, who lists Jack Drury, Alex Lyon, Kyle Marino and Josh Melnick as his all-time favorite Wolves players. “It’s a good group of people.”
When the Wolves travel, Branden greets players and staff following games and often hands out candy to them as they board the bus.
“It’s just a good way to show them my support and to give something back to them,” Branden said.
The Prestas have developed a bond with players and staff that has left a lasting impression on everyone involved.
Branden, who recently graduated from Shepard High School—where he wore one of his myriad of Wolves shirts each day—turned 18 while he and Dave were in Winnipeg for Wolves’ games against the Manitoba Moose and several members of the organization, including Wolves Vice Chairman/Governor Wendell Young, broadcasters Jason Shaver and Billy Gardner and long-tome athletic trainer Kevin Kacer, attended a dinner thrown in Brendan’s honor.
“For me, the biggest thing I get out of it is how Brendan has improved so much,” Kacer said. “When they first started coming to Wolves games, he had to wear headphones and it was hard for him. He just wasn’t really able to do social things. Wolves games really made him come out of his shell.
“He’s a really special kid,” Kacer continued. “I know it hasn’t been easy for him and it hasn’t been easy for his stepdad, Dave, either. Brendan is doing really well right now and I love to see it.”
It all started with that well-timed TV commercial.
“It was like any kind of advertisement—they showed the happiness and celebration and the mascot and something just clicked,” Dave said. “Now, this kid eats, sleeps and drinks Wolves hockey.”
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