Sad news about a Wild fan
Posted on November 11th, 2008 – 10:12 AMBy Michael Russo
A few weeks ago, after a Wild game, I met a sweet woman at Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub named Lori Luoma, who was so excited to meet me because it gave her a chance to pitch story ideas.
She’s a big Wild fan, but also a fan of the Coyotes. She asked me to do a story on Peter Mueller because I was about to head to Phoenix with the Wild. I told her Patrick Reusse did a Mueller piece last year, so I’d probably wait to do another. I said, “I’ll give you a sneak preview, but I’ve been waiting to do a pretty neat Kyle Turris-Colton Gillies piece because they’re best friends.” She then pitched me a Daniel Winnik story. I told her she’s a great editor, but my editor probably wouldn’t go for a bunch of Coyotes features.
It was a pretty funny conversation, and it ended with her saying, “I can’t tell you how much I love your blog.”
Anyway, I just received this email I thought I’d share with the Russoville community:
Hi,
My friend Lori Luoma met you recently- you may remember the conversation. She really is a huge Wild fan, despite her love of the Coyotes. However the Xcel Center will be minus one fan in the future because last week she arrived in Phoenix to attend a few games with me and a few other friends … and as we were leaving the game on Saturday night, Lori suddenly suffered a major brain hemorrhage. She is in ICU on life support with absolutely no hope of surviving. As many people have pointed out, at least the last thing she did was something she loved. It all started as a child going to Bulldog games at UMD (Norm Maciver was her favorite) and ended with her being a dedicated Wild Season Ticket Holder who attended all the games and just about every event.
Thanks for your time,
Audrey Campbell
I just thought I should share that with everybody. Just another reminder to not sweat the small stuff. Life is too short.
Please keep Lori in your thoughts and prayers.
59 Responses to "Sad news about a Wild fan"
hopefully the Don will come back in an hour and tell us that we traded #10 to ottawa for spezza and they threw in heatley because that is about the only thing that could begin to balance that reality check he just laid on us.
Our thoughts are with you.
oh my God. I know her. she was always smiling. I can hear her laughing, even now. we were just acquaintances, but we sat near other for the warmup skate at Wild games and occassionally picked on eacher for our choices of favorite players. but I’m going to miss her.
thanks for the smiles, Lori.
Not the kind of story I was expecting to come across 
Very sad news…
My condolences to Lori’s family and friends.
My condolences to her family.
Some things are bigger than hockey. This is one of them.
My condolences to her family and friends.
Lori was interviewed for this stroy about ticket buyers at the start of the season - http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/30271659.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUBP7hUiacyKUnciaec8O7EyU (second page) - and I add my condolences to her friends and family.
May the light protect her and the powers of tht heavens shine upon her path.
Oh goodness. Sad food. I’m so sorry… big Texas love to Lori’s family and, it sounds like, MANY friends.
thanks for the article, 6GS.
“For her, being a Wild fan is a matter of nature. “I’m from the Iron Range, hockey is in my blood.”
Amen.
She has season tickets in center ice seats to the great hockey game in the sky to look forward to.
And the Don, with a swift, yet effective blast of reality to all of Russoville. If the emailer’s accounts are accurate, and Drs. have stated there is no hope for recovery, here’s hopin’ the ordeal doesn’t drag on for the family, which must be going through some kind of unimaginable he11.
Makes b!tching about the Gaby situation or the fact that my fantasy football squad got dumped again this week seem quite petty. Just an awful story.
Like Nick said, somethings are bigger than hockey.
My condolences to her and her loved ones. How very sad.
Remember to thank a veteran today.
Unbelievable…So sad. I am a Yotes and wild fan too. I am glad though she got to be with friends and do what she loved right up to the moment.
Wow…May god bless you and your family
I’ve met her a few times at Wild games through a mutual acquitance. I don’t know her, but I do know she was a hockey fan all the way through.
My sympathy to her family and friends.
Our condolences to the family on their loss. I can think of only one better way to go to that big rink in the sky, that would be to spend time with my wife and kids before I go. I would bet she was having fun and enjoying her company, and that’s what really matters!
God bless Lori, her family and freinds.
A big Wild Hockey Fan hug to Lori and her family…
Wow check out this on nhl.com! “Blues to pay fans’ mortgages for 4 months Tuesday … At every remaining Saturday home game this season, one lucky fan will have their mortgage or rent paid for four months! ” (http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=391783)
Imagine having to do that to get the seats filled. Makes you appreciate the fan base in this town, eh?
A mournful wow. A heartful hug of support to Lori, her family and extended family.
Just want to echo everyone’s thoughts. My prayers are with Lori and her family, as well. May God bless her and comfort her family and friends.
Don’t sweat the small stuff, indeed!
Lori,
The Russoville team raises their sticks in the air for you and your family.
On a slightly different note, current fan vote totals for the All-Star game (from ESPN so take with truck-load of salt).
PICK 3 FORWARDS:
34.9% Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks
30.4% Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks
28.6% Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings
25.8% Marian Hossa, Detroit Red Wings
24.2% Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
20.0% Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche
18.6% Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild
14.2% Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
14.1% Marian Gaborik, Minnesota Wild
10.0% Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
7.1% Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
5.1% Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
3.8% Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets
3.3% Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
2.0% Mike Ribeiro, Dallas Stars
2.0% Keith Tkachuk, St. Louis Blues
1.9% Mike Modano, Dallas Stars
1.9% Jason Arnott, Nashville Predators
1.8% Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
1.7% Brad Boyes, St. Louis Blues
1.6% Paul Kariya, St. Louis Blues
1.6% Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes
1.3% Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings
1.3% Milan Hejduk, Colorado Avalanche
1.0% Shawn Horcoff, Edmonton Oilers
1.0% Olli Jokinen, Phoenix Coyotes
0.9% Brenden Morrow, Dallas Stars
0.8% Ales Hemsky, Edmonton Oilers
0.8% Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
0.8% Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
0.7% Brad Richards, Dallas Stars
PICK 2 DEFENSEMEN:
32.3% Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
31.3% Dan Boyle, San Jose Sharks
28.6% Rob Blake, San Jose Sharks
18.6% Brian Rafalski, Detroit Red Wings
17.9% Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames
17.2% Brent Burns, Minnesota Wild
9.6% Chris Pronger, Anaheim Ducks
9.3% Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Ducks
5.9% Brian Campbell, Chicago Blackhawks
4.6% Robyn Regehr, Calgary Flames
4.5% Shea Weber, Nashville Predators
3.2% Sheldon Souray, Edmonton Oilers
PICK 1 GOALTENDER:
36.0% Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks
19.8% Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild
15.3% Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings
12.4% Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks
7.2% J.S. Giguere, Anaheim Ducks
6.6% Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames
1.0% Marty Turco, Dallas Stars
0.9% Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes
0.9% Pascal Leclaire, Columbus Blue Jackets
Total Votes: 26,169
Obviously not an exact science, but just a snapshot of whom fans are voting for, that is why the percentages equate to > 100 percent.
the way I heard the small stuff axiom is, “Don’t sweat the small stuff, and most of it is small stuff”.
Sympathies to the family.
anyone else see Deep’s ESPN voting stats as further evidence why ESPN doesn’t care about hockey? The biggest vote getters right play in San Jose, Detroit, Denver, St. Paul, Calgary and Vancouver.
Not exactly the New York, Boston and LAs of the world that we know ESPN panders to incessantly.
NiNY,
That’s why all who criticize Bettman for going with VS need to remember that ESPN had very little interest in hockey. Also, for whatever faults he might have the reason for the geographic expansion was to try and make our favorite game more of a national game and, therefore, eventually get a better national TV contract.
Well Nick, that seemed to be the Western Conference voting. Hard to vote for Rangers, Bruins or Isles that way. 
That is correct. I just posted the Western vote totals. For those who care, here are the East totals:
37.3% Alex Kovalev, Montreal Canadiens
34.4% Saku Koivu, Montreal Canadiens
32.3% Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
32.1% Alex Tanguay, Montreal Canadiens
27.2% Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
24.7% Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
16.5% Thomas Vanek, Buffalo Sabres
14.6% Alexander Semin, Washington Capitals
11.2% Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning
8.4% Derek Roy, Buffalo Sabres
5.4% Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers
5.3% Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers
5.2% Simon Gagne, Philadelphia Flyers
4.8% Chris Drury, New York Rangers
4.5% Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
4.3% Marc Savard, Boston Bruins
4.2% Scott Gomez, New York Rangers
3.5% Zach Parise, New Jersey Devils
3.3% Markus Naslund, New York Rangers
3.2% Ray Whitney, Carolina Hurricanes
2.8% Dany Heatley, Ottawa Senators
2.6% Daniel Briere, Philadelphia Flyers
1.9% Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes
1.6% Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators
1.0% Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
0.9% Patrik Elias, New Jersey Devils
0.9% Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators
0.8% Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
0.7% Brian Rolston, New Jersey Devils
0.4% Trent Hunter, New York Islanders
PICK 2 DEFENSEMEN:
48.9% Andrei Markov, Montreal Canadiens
36.4% Mike Komisarek, Montreal Canadiens
21.4% Mike Green, Washington Capitals
18.7% Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
12.6% Jay Bouwmeester, Florida Panthers
12.1% Tomas Kaberle, Toronto Maple Leafs
11.5% Sergei Gonchar, Pittsburgh Penguins
9.8% Teppo Numminen, Buffalo Sabres
8.8% Ryan Whitney, Pittsburgh Penguins
7.6% Wade Redden, New York Rangers
7.0% Kimmo Timonen, Philadelphia Flyers
1.2% Chris Phillips, Ottawa Senators
PICK 1 GOALTENDER:
36.1% Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
20.5% Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
15.8% Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres
11.8% Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins
7.3% Vesa Toskala, Toronto Maple Leafs
4.1% Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
2.8% Martin Biron, Philadelphia Flyers
0.6% Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders
0.5% Kari Lehtonen, Atlanta Thrashers
0.5% Tomas Vokoun, Florida Panthers
Total Votes: 31,232
All of your friends in your hockey family, Sec 207 and well beyond are all praying for a miracle for you Lori. I love you! ~ Your friend, Chris
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
Voting has started? Where?
Oh never mind. I see it’s poll, not a vote.
LOL…thanks Deep!
Um…Montreal, Washington and Pittsburgh are getting the most votes IN THE EAST. There is a Boston (Chara) and a NY (Lundqvist), but there’s also a Florida (Bouwmeester) to cancel out one of those.
I guess the point still stands, though the effect is certainly diminished (lookin at you Deep!) 
Lets just let the Sharks/Red Wings play the Canadiens in the all star game.
Also, it’s good to see Koivu getting more votes than Iginla. All 4 of our guys have a legit chance of making it, assuming Gaby comes back soon.
Well with the game in Montreal, you know the voting will be skewed that way. Koivu, Tanguay over Vanek? Pfft.
(Also, my condolences on the above for what it’s worth.)
Besides, are you going to argue Malkin, Crosby, Green, Ovechkin, Lundqvist, etc. don’t deserve to be in the All-Star game? Chara on past history but he’s certainly done nothing to merit it this year so I’ll give you that.
Besides part 2, your argument was New York and Boston usually gets the coverage, now you’re saying it’s Montreal, Washington and Pittsburgh.
Make up your mind.
…hard to post about hockey with a lead like that.
Sorry for your loss to all of Lori’s family and friends, and to you too Don. Never a good feeling when someone you met and had good conversation with passes.
Who on earth are all the people who voted for Gaborik to make the all-star game?
Certainly not Minnesota fans who are collectively pissed off at the guy.
Who on earth are all the people who voted for Gaborik to make the all-star game?
Certainly not Minnesota fans who are collectively pissed off at the guy.
Mister Know it All and all of his alter egos.
Nah, he’d only vote for MN born players.
Anyone remember the show ‘Sports Night’? There was one episode where there was an online poll as to which of the co-hosts (Dan or Casey) was cooler. Casey teamed up with Jeremy to rig the contest using a computer to vote for him constantly… good stuff :).
Lunch
Thanks so much for posting this blog on Lori Luoma. She truly is one of our great Minnesota hockey fans. She became a very dear friend to my daughter and I, and going to the games and watching the warm-ups will not be the same without her.
I work with Lori. Thank you for taking the time to remember her in your blog. It would have meant a great deal to her. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers.
How sad.
Cherish every day.
Wow! Even though I never met her I feel the sadness in my heart as she is one of us (Wild Fans). My thoughts and prayers are with Lori, her family and the friends who knew her.
Sorry to hear about Lori’s misfortune. My ten year old son and I always go down on the glass for warmups when we attend a game and Lori and her group of friends were ALWAYS there. Brent Burns always taps his stick on top of the glass showering the girls with snow. What a loss for all Wild fans. God Bless.
Leave it to Michael to bring a storm thru Russoville.
I hope nothing but the best in the future for her family, and may she always bring smiles to their hearts when she is thought of.
My condolences.
Lori loved hockey, and even though summer was her favorite season, she looked forward to being together with her friends and other hockey fans at the X. She wore gloves and a scarf with her jersey, but no coat, probably because she had a very warm heart, to go along with her generous and caring nature. She will be missed beyond words, but she’ll always be with us.
We love you, Lori…always
It is with a heavy heart that I inform everyone that Lori Kaye Luoma went to heaven this evening.
Same thing happened to my dad. I’m so sorry. It’s so true, don’t sweat the small stuff. Life’s too short, and unfortunately for many of us, it takes something like this to realize it. God bless Lori, didn’t know her — wish I did. Thoughts and prayers to her loved ones.
Lori - You will be deeply missed. Thank you for the many laughs.
Love,
Nicole
I work with Lori and I will miss her laughs, her stories and most of all her smiles! Love you! Go WILD!!!!
Lori was my best friend in grade school…I am numb!! I spoke with her a month ago about a near death experience I had this year and her support and love was always there for me….she was my friend I planned to phone daily in my seventies to laugh with…I can not believe this!! She gave my little boy his first hockey jersey - of course a Wild one…but never had a chance to see him play hockey - this just was not supposed to happen….life really is too short and for my life - I suddenly feel empty! To her parents…I am so sorry.
April
Praying for Audrey, her good friend who was with her until she died and for Lori’s family… Lori was such a good friend… She had such joy! She will be missed… Life is short - Have Jesus in your life and you will go and be with your Father God in heaven…
God Bless. Lori was the first friend I ever had. I am who I am today because of the people who were in my life along the way. Thank you Lori. I miss you!
GODSPEED
Traci
Lori was someone that was remembered by everyone she met. She had that unique quality about her. I am hoping that her family will find comfort in this time of sorrow.
Lori Kay Luoma, age 38 of Eagan, MN and formerly of Mt. Iron passed away suddenly on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ. She was born January 14, 1970 in Virginia, MN the daughter of Karen and Larry Luoma and grew up in Mt. Iron. She graduated from Mt. Iron – Buhl High School in 1988; attended Mesabi Junior College and Bemidji State University and graduated in 1992 with a degree in Business Administration. For the past 11 years, Lori was employed by Midcontinent Media of Edina, MN as a Payroll/Health Benefits Administrator.
Her favorite pastime was attending the “Minnesota Wild” hockey games where she was a season ticket holder. She loved to travel, especially to Phoenix where she would attend the Phoenix Coyote games with her many hockey friends in the Phoenix area. Her love of the game enabled her to make many new friends.
Lori is lovingly survived by her parents: Larry & Karen Luoma of Mt. Iron; her two special goddaughters, Abbi Skinner of Detroit Lakes, MN and Addison Molesky of Northfield, MN; many uncles, aunts, and cousins. She will be sadly missed by her loving “Hockey Family” and many other friends.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Taina & Toivo Luoma, Eric Alto, Arne & Tyne Alto; and uncles, Russell Knuti and Paul Borgman.
Visitation will be held Thursday, November 20, 2008 from 12 Noon until the 1 p.m. Funeral Service at Messiah Lutheran Church in Mt. Iron. Pastor Kristin Foster will officiate. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Virginia.
Family services provided by Bauman-Cron, A Bauman Family Funeral Home in Virginia. To share a personal remembrance of Lori online, please see: http://www.baumanfuneralhome.com.
