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Thomas Walls, 20, died three months ago, but his spirit was alive Saturday night as more than 100 members of Evansville's close-knit hockey community gathered to celebrate the life of their friend and the sport that brought them together.

Walls, a Purdue University student who had played hockey for both North High School and the Evansville Thunder, died in August after being stabbed in the neck with a knife.

Saturday's gathering included a fundraising dinner and auction, followed by an alumni hockey game at Swonder Ice Arena. Money raised will pay for a commissioned artwork worth $4,000 that organizers hope will hang at the arena. The sculpture, which will include hockey sticks, a puck and a jersey, is intended as a celebration of hockey players.

The family of Thomas Walls, from left, his mother, Lee Ann Wambach, brother, William, and father, Dennis Walls, gather with family and friends Saturday at Swonder Ice Arena.
Those at Saturday's event said they regard the hockey community — players and parents — as almost an extended family because of the close ties developed through games, practices and travel.

"We shared those experiences from the time these boys were 6 until the time they finished high school," said Walls' mother, Lee Ann Wambach. Wambach has another son, William, 14, who is also active with the Evansville Thunder.

Wambach said her hockey friends provided a great source of support for her family when her son died. Supporters have already donated enough money to endow an annual college scholarship in Walls' name, his mother said.

Wambach announced the scholarship fund, plus the creation of a youth hockey award, at Saturday's gathering. The award is called the Thomas F. Walls Thunder 6 Award, named after the number Walls wore for the Evansville Thunder.