TAMPA, Fla. — Though the Stanley Cup Final ended with a loss, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s recent run has brought many fans together as a family.

For Laura Henderson, she says that family has helped save her life.

“It just means so much to me, just to be part of something bigger. And to have this outlook on life that I never even had growing up,” Henderson said.

Her Temple Terrace home is decked out with Lightning memorabilia, much of it signed by the players she’s had the chance to meet. 

She says this love of the team helped her through tough times, and, in recent years, her sobriety.

She lost her mom when she was a child, grew up in foster care and then suddenly lost her father to suicide.

“He was the only person I really had, anyway. When he was gone, I lost the will to live,” Henderson said.

She moved to Tampa three years ago for a fresh start. But addiction brought on by past trauma led her to a treatment program for nearly a year.

Until one day, she was given tickets to a Lightning game through her program.

Instantly, she was hooked, finding love and support from fellow fans.

“I’ll never forget that first game,” Henderson said.

Now, she goes to every game she can — even the practices, and greets the team at the airport when they return from away games.

Three years later, she’s been able to stay sober. She credits her love of the team with helping with her sobriety.

“I don’t miss a thing. It’s just because life is too short. A lot of my life was taken advantage of for so many years. Being able to make my own choices in life now, this just helped me,” Henderson said.

Her Lightning fandom is even physically a part of her now. She has tattooed autographs from Captain Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov.

“When people see them, it just opens the door to telling my story and help other people. I love it,” Henderson said.

That’s ultimately why she loves sharing her love of the Bolts: to open up her story in hopes of helping others.

“I think the biggest joy I get out of it is helping others have the same excitement that I have. It’s not even about me. But it’s about helping the next person,” Henderson said.