TAMPA, Fla. — Every week of the regular hockey season, Tampa Bay 28 spotlights a Lightning fan who is doing the most to show up for the team.
Tampa Bay 28 anchor Lauren St. Germain has met so many Lightning superfans, and Debbie Kemp is no exception.
“Like I've gone to football, I've gone to baseball, and I love them, you know. But hockey, you're really, the atmosphere is just so electric. You have to pay attention,” said Kemp.
Debbie Kemp told St. Germain the first time she saw a hockey game in person was here in Tampa, and she’s been hooked ever since.
“When I have hard days, really, truly hard days, and I just need to like, find my comfort and just be comfortable. People will laugh. But on my DVR, I've got the 2020 Stanley Cup, the 2021 Stanley Cup. I have certain games that really made me feel good, and I'll sit down at night and I'll watch that,” said Kemp.
Kemp also has some pretty extensive gameday traditions focused on everything from her morning cup of joe to her outfit.
“Alright, let’s see these traditions that keep the boys winning. So this whole bottom is nothing but lightning mugs?” asked St. Germain.
“I drink out of this one for home game days. I drink out of this one for away game days. And then if they’ve lost, I switch it out to this one. This is the mug I use for every victory game if we win the next day,” said Kemp.
“All my friends know if the lightning comes out with a mug that I like, I am going to buy it even though I shouldn’t really buy it,” said Kemp.
“You cannot have enough coffee mugs. I support this obsession,” said St. Germain.
“When I go to the games, I wear the exact same jersey. I wear my hockey necklace. I have the same earrings that I wear, and I wear the same bracelets and same rings. And so, everybody knows that that's what I wear,” said Kemp.
She’ll switch up the jersey and the earrings if the Lightning lose.
“I had a certain pair of earrings that I wore at the beginning of the year and we were doing really bad, so I was like, well, I can’t wear these anymore,” said Kemp.
“Can you burn those?” asked St. Germain.
“I know right. I can’t because they are actually Hagel earrings,” said Kemp.
Debbie told St. Germain the friendships she has made because of the Lightning have lasted years.
“So, our group, we are in section 307, and everybody knows that's where Sticks of Fire is. And so, I am a member of that. And it's not a membership. It's just a group of friends. And so, we all hang out together,” explained Kemp.
She says the Lightning and those friendships healed her when she was going through tough times in life, proving just how much sports and a community can make an impact.
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