ST. LOUIS — When you think about the Blues' magical run to the 2019 Stanley Cup, a few things likely come to mind.
Jordan Binnington wasn't nervous. Pat Maroon was a hero in Game 7 against the Stars. Craig Berube's speech in Boston got the team going. "Gloria" was blaring everywhere. And of course, Laila Anderson was inspiring the city.
Laila, the young girl fighting significant medical challenges who stole the hearts of the team, and St. Louis.
Well, in the five years since that dreamlike June 12th night in Boston, that little girl has grown up. Laila is a 16-year-old high schooler at Westminster Christian Academy and has her driver's permit.
"Time definitely does fly. I think looking back at old pictures of me, that little girl is not me today," Laila said on the 5-year anniversary of the June 12th Game 7 victory in Boston.
As far as her health goes, Laila is doing well. Her fight against the autoimmune disease, HLH , is mostly behind her.
"I'm doing great. I'm like any teenager. I'm 100% donor cells so I have no problems right now. I just have checkups every year, so bloodwork and everything. But other than that I'm like any other teenager," Laila said.
Laila gets recognized a bit less these days, but the magical run of 2019 is still close to her heart.
"Once in maybe every three Blues games... I'll wear a jersey that says 'Laila 55' and someone's like, 'Oh, you like that little girl, too?' And I go, 'Hey, I AM that girl.'," Laila laughed. "I don't think I really understood. Looking back, the amount of opportunities and things I was able to do was crazy for an 11-year-old. To have a whole hockey team rally around me and right in my corner... I also got to meet the President of the United States with them... I got so many verified Instagram accounts to post about me... it was crazy. The amount of people I met was crazy."
Laila has some new memories on the ice as well. She's a forward for her club hockey team in St. Louis, and recently came home with a championship of her own.
"This past season my team and I won the Blue Note Cup, which I call the Stanley Cup for youth hockey in Missouri. It was insane. Our team was the underdog compared to the other teams... We weren't the best out of the four, so going into it we were just kind of there for a fun time, but in the semifinals I scored my first goal and that was crazy. I tied the game up and we ended up winning and going to the championship.
"I think this year was the confidence boost I needed because playing hockey at an older age, I started later than everyone else, my confidence was messed with lately... but I think having that title now and say I scored a goal is kind of cool," Laila said.
Laila and Blues defenseman Colton Parayko became notable friends during the 2019 run, and that friendship is still going strong five years later.
"I reach out to Colton and we talk quite a bit. I recently won a state (hockey) title so I talked to him about how that felt and shared my experience with him. And then at the end of the hockey season when the Blues finish, Colton and I will usually grab a cup of coffee at Starbucks or something," Laila said.
And when Laila looks back on the craziness of the run to the Cup, a few things stick out. First, the time on the ice with Parayko after Game 7 in Boston.
"My whole time on the ice was... I'm getting chills. I'm grateful for Colton and everything he's done for me. He's always been there for me and supported me through my health... and made videos when I need it and always been in my corner. So to be on the ice and being able to celebrate with him in his special moment... I have chills. It was crazy," Laila said.
Another favorite memory involves the trip down to the ice from the Suite at TD Garden. Even though Laila had a broken ankle, nothing was stopping her from getting down there as fast as possible.
"I was in the suite with my mom and a bunch of alumni, and there was about 20 seconds left. So we leave the suite to go down, and we're waiting for the elevator. I had a broken ankle at the time, because my bone density was really bad. And we're waiting for the elevator and I said, 'Boys, we just won the Stanley Cup. We're taking the stairs.' So we all go down the stairs and we make it to the ice and everyone was like, 'Laila, your ankle is broken!' And I said, 'We just won the cup! Who cares?!'" Laila said.
And even though it was five years ago, the whole experience still seems like a dream for the youngest celebrity of the Stanley Cup run.
"I'm watching playoff hockey (now) and I can't believe I was able to touch that trophy. I can't believe I was able to celebrate with my team, celebrating that trophy we just won. None of it has felt real and I don't think it ever will," Laila said.