Roberto Luongo passes on NHL All-Star game to be with pregnant wife

Vancouver Canucks player Roberto Luongo has passed up the opportunity to play in the NHL All-Star Game, instead choosing to spend time with his wife, Gina, who is expecting the couple’s first child. The 28-year-old said,

I struggled with this decision. But I think family right now is more important to me and this is a good opportunity for me to spend some time with my wife and the baby.

Gina, who is due to give birth in early April, has been experiencing minor complications with the pregnancy and Roberto feels that it is only right that he is with his wife.

As a professional athlete I respect all-star games and stuff like that and I enjoy going to them so it’s not something that pleased me, but at the same time my wife is in Florida, she’s been there all year except for a few weeks in November, and it’s a good chance for me to spend some quality time with her, something I haven’t done all year.

The baby is doing fine, it’s just a little bit of a delicate pregnancy and that’s why she had to go back home; [we're] making sure she is taken care of by her family and [that she is] with her doctors.It hasn’t been an easy situation to be apart like that and that’s why I came to this decision.

Not only will the ice hockey goaltender miss the All-Star game, but he will also miss Vancouver’s game on January 29th.  However, his bosses understand. Coach Alain Vigneault said,

As much as he wanted to go to the all-star game and felt that that was part of his responsibility, he’s got a bigger responsibility, he’s going to be a father. He hasn’t seen his wife in quite some time now. He’s going to go home, that’s his number one priority and it should be.

Roberto will fly to be with his wife in Florida following the team’s game on January 23rd.

Source: NHL

Thanks to CBB reader Shaylene.