For New Jersey fan Lauren ‘The Warrior’ Liff, the Devils are her angels
Lifelong New Jersey Devils fan Lauren Liff sent a tweet to the Devils from her hospital bed, hoping simply for online interaction. What happened next surpassed even her wildest hopes.
Lauren Liff doesn’t want you to feel sorry for her.
The 30-year-old certified landscape designer, in many ways, is like any hockey superfan. Born in New York and raised in nearby New Jersey, she has been rooting for the New Jersey Devils her entire life.
Like any fan would, Lauren was hoping to have some interaction with members of her favorite team. But, when it comes down to it, Lauren isn’t like any fan, and neither is her story.
Lauren went viral on April 29, 2018, when she shared a tweet from her hospital bed at Saint Clare’s in New Jersey wondering how many retweets it would take for the Devils to come visit her:
https://twitter.com/letsg0devs/status/990717569437970434
“I never thought the Devils would respond to my tweet,” Lauren tells FanSided.
But they did.
https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/992389062685229057
That would have been enough for Lauren, who says the response made her day. But the Devils weren’t done.
https://twitter.com/letsg0devs/status/992428604763013120
“I know they are all busy, but to have them respond and have Travis Zajac and NJ Devil show up in my hospital room was one of the most incredible moments of my life,” Lauren says. “Hospitals can be lonely, but the coordination between the NJD organization and Saint Clare’s hospital was beyond what I expected. I couldn’t hold back the tears! Zajac is a true gentleman and NJ is awesome, as always.”
Lauren, unfortunately, knows all too well how lonely hospitals can be, having battled chronic illnesses from a young age. She has multiple conditions, some of which she chooses to keep private, but she has become a strong advocate for interstitial cystitis, or IC for short. It is a chronic pain condition that affects the bladder. As Lauren notes in a video explaining the condition on her YouTube channel, “It’s as painful to deal with as it is to pronounce.”
“This disease is not researched nearly enough,” Lauren explains. “Those that suffer from it ‘look fine,’ but on the inside the pain is unbearable.” Lauren’s mission is to spread the word to increase awareness about IC and to help fund more research to find a cause and, eventually, a cure.
“To be honest, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been in the hospital — too many to count,” Lauren says. “But every time I’m in the hospital or going for surgery I always wear my Devils gear. I feel like it gives me strength.”
More than 12 million people in the United States are living with interstitial cystitis, and it can be exacerbated by other chronic pain conditions and invisible illnesses, which Lauren has. Just this week, Lauren will undergo another surgery to help manage her frequent pain and eliminate the risk her conditions pose.
Lauren didn’t initially use social media much, but became more active on Twitter during her hospital stays because, as she notes, there’s only so much TV one can watch in the hospital. Now, her Twitter family has become indispensable — and, of course, helped connect her with her favorite team in a life-changing way.
Lauren’s earliest memory of being a Devils fan goes back to attending her first game at Continental Airlines Arena. “I walked in with my dad and I instantly fell in love; my dad even framed the tickets! The sound of the goal horn, the skates on the ice, the gracefulness of the players, the fights — of course. It was a total adrenaline rush, love at first sight. I’ve been a fan ever since.”
Lauren lists Patrik Elias, Ken Daneyko (“Dano) and Scott Stevens as her favorite Devils of all time.
https://twitter.com/letsg0devs/status/986216154778820608
“I know they don’t play anymore,” she says, “but they are the reason I truly fell in love with hockey, and all three of them have shown me nothing but kindness. Watching them skate was like art to me, the sound of the skates on the ice the smell of the arena, the atmosphere…it was paradise for me. It was like I was home.”
Currently, the players Lauren admires the most are Zajac, Brian Boyle, Miles Wood, Nico Hischier — “and, of course, our captain, Mr. Green.”
We all form different relationships with our favorite teams. Sometimes they are at their strongest in childhood, and some of us don’t truly connect with a team until we’re adults. But Lauren’s connection with the Devils is underscored by her understanding of how precious her health is, and how her chronic conditions mean she has to chase her dreams even harder.
Lauren reveals that the team is helping her cross things off her bucket list, which she started when she was 14 years old. Most of the items are Devils-related, and include singing the anthem at a Devils game, seeing the locker room, watching a game from the glass, having her Warrior jersey signed by everyone on the team, receive or win a game-worn jersey. Devils anthem singer Arlette has extended an open invitation to Lauren to help make the first goal a reality.
She’s thinking about starting a blog to share her bucket list with everyone, because, as she says, “everything that gets crossed off spreads a little hope and that’s all I want to do. I want those who are suffering to know that they are Warriors just like me.”
Of course, her Devils fandom is only one aspect of what makes Lauren Lauren. She loves her work as a certified landscape designer — calling herself a “plant nerd” — though she notes that her health causes some problems when it comes to work.
Lauren, who lives in New Jersey with her fiancé, her son, two dogs and a cat, started her own company called New Creations Landscape Design. “There aren’t many women in my field, but I aim to be that girl to break that barrier,” she says. “I’d love to get my company bigger and off the ground, but it’s hard right now with my health and I am drowning in medical bills and such. But I never give up on my dreams!”
https://twitter.com/letsg0devs/status/724659637614706689
“To be honest grateful is not a strong enough word,” Lauren says of the Devils’ visit. “I’m still amazed! It is an experience I will never forget, and to be honest, I didn’t think I was deserving of it. But this is why I love the Devils — they care about the fans. Most other organizations wouldn’t do that.”
Everything the Devils have done for Lauren has certainly put them high on our radar for our annual Fandom 250 rankings, which we’ll be revealing later this year. Ultimately, teams have the ability to improve fans’ quality of life, in ways that are mental, physical and emotional.
I asked Lauren if there was anything else she’d like people to know about her story or what people could possibly do to help raise awareness about her illness.
“Please research interstitial cystitis and invisible illnesses,” Lauren says. “If you can, donate and support those with invisible illnesses. You never know the battles those around you are fighting. One act of kindness can change the life of a total stranger, just like the amazing people on Twitter did for me.”