Merritt woman designs and sells stickers, donates proceeds in memory of Ty Pozzobon

A Merritt woman has been making and selling stickers to raise money for injured bull riders in the name of the late rodeo legend, Ty Pozzobon.

Rhonda MacDonald, a friend of Pozzobon's parents, started selling stickers to the minor hockey community in Merritt for players to wear on their helmets.

"We thought that minor hockey should possibly do something to commemorate Ty because Ty was a goalie in minor hockey."

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MacDonald designed and printed off 1,500 stickers in her own home to give to people who wanted to help commemorate Pozzobon.

The stickers feature the silhouette of a bullrider with Pozzobon's nickname, 'Pozzy,' below in red.

On Feb. 10, she sent a cheque for nearly $4,000 to Rider Relief, an organization based in the U.S. that provides financial assistance to bullriders and bull fighters who have been injured during competition or training.

MacDonald says Pozzobon benefitted from Rider Relief when he broke his leg.

She says she's been sending stickers all across North America to people interested in remembering Pozzobon by supporting Rider Relief.

Pozzobon, one of the top bullriders in Canada, took his own life, Jan. 9, 2017.

He had suffered numerous concussions during his career, and Pozzobon's mother, Leanne Pozzobon, says concussion-related depression is what likely led to his death.

• Mother of Ty Pozzobon says concussion-related depression a factor in his death

MacDonald said there weresimilarities between hockey culture and cowboy culture.

"As far as concussions, the cowboy culture and the hockey culture as well has always been one to either 'cowboy up or suck it up', and 'yeah, you rung your bell but you get back on' or 'get back on the ice again,'" she said.

"The concussions do leave lasting damage, if not properly looked after when they first happen."

With files from Daybreak Kamloops

To hear the audio click the left-hand link:Merritt woman donates $4000 to Rider Relief in memory of Ty Pozzobon