Gonzo’s Legacy: The Zack Defreitas Project

05/06/2026

Head on over to have a drink with our friends at Jim Dandys Lounge & give them a run for their money as they host their Celebrity Bartending event to support Colorectal Cancer research & benefit youth hockey! 🏒

There's nothing better than drinking for a great cause!🍻

So we’re doing a thing!! Until the end of July, we will be having guest bartenders, to help us achieve our goal for our yearly fundraiser!!

They will be kicking it off as the first celebrity bartenders!! More bartenders to come!! Thanks, Sarah & Chase!! 😁

04/29/2026

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝.

Gonzo’s Legacy: The Zack Defreitas Project recently received a shoutout on 𝗝𝗶𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲’𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁, a name that carries serious weight in the wrestling community. For those who knew Zack, this one means a little extra. Zack was a huge wrestling fan, and there is no doubt he would have absolutely loved hearing his story shared on a platform like that.

This all started because one of our board members, Jeff Prince, took the time to email the podcast & tell them about Zack: Who he was, What he loved, What he fought through & the Legacy he left behind.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝.

After the episode aired, we received a message through our website from a listener named James, a colon cancer survivor & former Springfield resident who heard the shoutout and reached out to support the mission.

James shared that, much like Zack, he too was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer at just 27 years old. He also connected with Zack’s story through hockey, having played club hockey at the University of Illinois. In sharing his story, James also recognized how expensive the game can be for families, highlighting our efforts to remove the financial barriers of entry to the game of hockey.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤’𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭.

From Springfield, Illinois, to the wrestling community, to cancer survivors, hockey families & people we may never have the pleasure of meeting, Zack’s story continues to move people. It continues to create awareness. It continues to help kids. It continues to remind people that one life can leave a mark far beyond what anyone could have ever imagined.

Thank you to Jeff Prince for helping share Zack’s story. Thank you to Jim Cornette’s podcast for giving it a platform. And thank you to everyone who continues to carry Gonzo’s Legacy forward.

𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤'𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠.

If you'd like to hear more, you can hear Jim's shoutout at the 17:30 mark of Episode 631: Random Order on "The Jim Cornette Experience" using the link below:

https://omny.fm/shows/jim-cornette-experience/episode-631-random-order

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 & 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧:
𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐳𝐨𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲.𝐧𝐞𝐭

This week on the Experience, Jim talks about WWE's recent talent releases, Dave Meltzer's star ratings for WrestleMania 42, Ric Flair's comments about Ludwig Kaiser, wrestler security concerns in Vegas, TKO executive compensation, and much more! Plus Jim reviews WWE Smackdown & recaps AEW Dynamite!....

03/18/2026

Today marks three years since we lost Zack, and it still doesn’t feel real.

There are some people in this life who leave such a mark on your soul that even after they’re gone, you still feel them in the way that you think, in the way that you love others, and in the way that you try to show up for the people around you.

Zack was one of those people.

He loved hockey. He loved his people. He had a way of making you laugh, making you feel welcome, and making things better just by being himself. He was the kind of friend, brother & teammate that you do not forget.

Gonzo’s Legacy: The Zack Defreitas Project exists because of who Zack was. It was built out of our resounding, collective love for him, and out of the belief that the brand of kindness he gave so freely should live on in his memory.

Every time our organization helps a kid get on to the ice, every time we show up for someone who needs support, every time we choose compassion, we are keeping Zack’s light shining bright.

We miss him deeply. We miss his heart, his humor, his presence, and the way he cared so genuinely for the people around him. But most importantly, we miss our friend. We miss his voice over the broadcast, his laugh in the locker room & his light in a world full of darkness.

But while he may no longer be with us, we also see his spirit in the good that keeps growing from his name.

We see him in the face of every child stepping onto the ice for the first time. We see him in every act of kindness, in every purple Jr. Blues jersey, and in every effort to make this community more generous, more welcoming & more compassionate.

And through that, we also carry him with us. In this work. In this community. In every act of love - big or small.

We love you, Gonzo. We miss you every day. And we will keep doing our best to be the change you wished to see in this world, one act of kindness at a time.

03/13/2026

The Gonzo's Legacy Team is excited to OFFICIALLY announce the 4th Annual ZACK DEFREITAS SKATE FOR A CURE 3V3 HOCKEY TOURNAMENT!

Join us on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 10 AM to 6 PM at The Nelson Center (Rink 1) for a great day of hockey, community, and family fun, all in support of Springfield Youth Hockey and the Simmons Cancer Institute.

All ages and skill levels are welcome!
-Teams of 6 Skaters: $325
-Individual Skaters: $55
-Goalies Play Free
-Registration Deadline: June 30th

This is more than just a tournament. It’s a family-friendly event featuring a silent auction, giveaways, vendors, photo booth, and more.

In addition to Team Registrations, we are also seeking individual & corporate sponsors, as well as silent auction donations.

After having to cancel last year’s tournament due to construction delays, we are thrilled to bring this event back. Our goal this year is to raise $20,000, and we’re hoping for our biggest turnout yet - but we can't do it without your help!

Please help us spread the word, register to play, or support the event in any way you can.

To Register Your Team or Individual Skater, visit our website at https://www.gonzoslegacy.net/events

11/14/2025

Gonzo’s Legacy family - we hit a HUGE milestone today!

Our organization just placed another equipment order for kids participating in the Springfield Park District’s Learn To Play program, and we are proud to announce that this order officially brings us to 100 complete sets of gear donated since we began our partnership with the Park District.

That’s 100 kids who were able to step onto the ice suited up with safe, quality equipment to try their hand at ice hockey in Zack’s name - kids who might not have had that chance without your generosity.

To our individual supporters, corporate sponsors & incredible volunteers: THANK YOU. Every dollar donated, every share, every hour of time given, every email sent, every event supported - it all adds up, and today’s milestone is proof of the impact we can make together.

And the best part? We’re just getting started.

If you’d like to help us outfit the next 100 kids, please consider making a donation or sharing this post to spread the word about Gonzo’s Legacy: The Zack Defreitas Project.

08/13/2025

We're saddened to announce that this year's SKATE FOR A CURE 3V3 HOCKEY TOURNAMENT is officially canceled.

08/01/2025

📣 Heads Up, Gonzo’s Legacy Community 🏒

We wanted to give our supporters, players & sponsors a quick heads-up about an important announcement regarding this year’s SKATE FOR A CURE 3V3 HOCKEY TOURNAMENT that will be coming soon.

This upcoming announcement follows recent information provided to us by the Springfield Park District. While we can’t share all the details just yet, our Board of Directors will be holding an emergency meeting early next week, after which we will provide a full update.

We appreciate your patience & continued support as we work through these next steps.

Rest assured, our organization’s commitment to honoring Zack’s legacy, promoting Colorectal Cancer awareness & supporting underprivileged youth in our local hockey community remains as strong as ever.

Please stay tuned for more details coming soon!

07/15/2025

Join our friends at Jim Dandys in Bartonville this Saturday, July 19th & help raise money for a great cause! We can't thank them enough for all the support they've provided to us over the years, so go show them some love!

06/27/2025

📣 IMPORTANT EVENT UPDATE:

Our 3rd Annual ZACK DEFREITAS SKATE FOR A CURE 3V3 HOCKEY TOURNAMENT Has Been Rescheduled!

Due to ongoing construction at the Nelson Center, the Board of Directors for Gonzo’s Legacy: The Zack Defreitas Project has made the difficult decision to reschedule The 3rd Annual Skate For A Cure 3v3 Hockey Tournament from July 26th, 2025 to September 20th, 2025.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our players, families, and supporters. This decision was not made lightly, but ensuring a safe & high-quality event experience for all remains our organization’s top priority, and we simply could not risk construction delays hindering this year’s tournament from running smoothly.

Please rest assured — our mission remains unchanged. We are as committed as ever to:

💙 Raising awareness for Colorectal Cancer.
🏒 Providing new equipment for underprivileged youth in our local hockey community.
🙏 Celebrating the spirit & legacy of our beloved friend, Zack Defreitas.

To our generous sponsors, dedicated teams & passionate participants — thank you for your understanding & continued support. We’re confident this year’s tournament will be another unforgettable event, and we can’t wait to see you all on the ice in September!

Stay tuned for more updates, registration adjustments, and volunteer opportunities as we get closer to the new date.

04/13/2025

Members of the Gonzo’s Legacy Team were honored to speak at the 14th Annual Stamp Out Cancer fundraiser this evening in Montgomery County!

Over the last decade, Stamp Out Cancer has raised over $1M to benefit the Montgomery County Cancer Association in their efforts to combat cancer in our local community.

Thank you to Zach Wygal & the rest of the hardworking Stamp Out Cancer team for providing our organization with the opportunity to spread the word about Zack’s Legacy and our efforts to raise awareness about Colorectal cancer!