A one-of-a-kind custom guitar, designed as a tribute to the Edmonton Oilers and autographed by Connor McDavid, is being auctioned to raise funds for a worthy cause.
Wayne Lestus, the creator of the unique instrument, was inspired to build the guitar after finding a discarded guitar body at a property he purchased. He combined several items to complete the design: “I got a couple of hockey sticks from Canadian Tire, ordered this Bluetooth speaker from Amazon, got the pucks from the Rogers Place sports or gift shop,” Lestus explained. “Put it all together and it even works.”
It took Lestus six months and a few hundred hours of work to finish the guitar, which he completed just before the Oilers’ Stanley Cup Playoff Finals against the Florida Panthers last year. Painted in orange and white, the guitar features the phrase “Play La Bamba Baby” in black letters, a phrase that became a lasting tribute to Ben Stelter, an Oilers fan who passed away from cancer in 2022 at the age of 6.
Lestus shared that he was particularly moved by Ben’s story, saying, “I’ve got a grandson almost the same age as what Ben was. So to see that little guy, I know it’s a good cause.”
After posting photos of the guitar online and receiving positive feedback, Lestus made the decision to donate it to the Ben Stelter Foundation to help fund cancer research and treatment. “I know a few families that have children that have passed away from cancer,” he added. “It’s one of my main causes that I’d like to contribute to.”
Mike Stelter, Ben’s father and executive director of the Ben Stelter Foundation, expressed gratitude for the kindness shown by Oilers fans and the Edmonton community. “It was incredibly unique, and we thought, what better way to help raise money than to ask Connor McDavid if he would be willing to sign it and then put it up for auction to help some kids battling cancer,” he said.
He added, “Connor McDavid has held this guitar and signed it, which is pretty special.”
All proceeds from the auction will go toward the Ben Stelter Centre for Proton Therapy and Neurosciences, a project set to begin construction later this year in Edmonton. The centre will be the first of its kind in Canada, offering proton radiation therapy for cancer patients. Stelter noted, “To see what Ben went through, it’s pretty special knowing the city wants to help other kids like Ben and make it a little better for them.”
As of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, the current bid for the signed guitar stood at $2,650. The auction will close on Saturday afternoon.
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