A routine hockey play took a turn no one saw coming.

On Sept. 30, Peter Warkentin was playing recreational hockey at the Canlan Ice Sports arena in Winnipeg. Rushing up the ice on a two on one, Warkentin accidentally made contact with the opposing goalie. It caused him to hit the boards at high speed.

"Everyone was going hard to the net, the goalie came out to play the puck he just got tripped up," said teammate Anthony Kowalczyk.

David Beargen Warkentin says his brother knew right away he was in serious trouble.

"He said I suspect that I broke my back like that was his thought immediately he had loss of sensation, he knew that something was quite amiss, this was not your typical hockey injury," said Beargen Warkentin.

Peter Warkentin suffered a spinal injury, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Now family, friends and the community are rallying around him.

"I don't think it's ever really something you think about when you're playing beer league," said Kowalczyk

Kowalczyk was on the bench at the time of the accident. He's co-owner of the Good Will Social Club on Portage Avenue. A rock n roll show fundraiser, For Pete's Sake, is set for Friday night.

"We can't do anything medically so this is the best way that we can help," said Kowalczyk.

A second event is planned at the Marlborough Hotel on Nov. 25. More than $53,000 has already been raised through an online website. Peter's brother David says the support has been overwhelming...the response says a lot about his brother.

"He's soft spoken, he's fairly reserved, but memorable he's just a solid guy, he goes out of his way to help people," said Beargen Warkentin.

And despite the diagnosis—six months at Health Sciences Centre and not expected to walk again—Warkentin’s friends and family say his outlook is positive. He wants to continue his hobbies, playing guitar, canoeing, even hockey.

"This is not something we should call a tragedy this is just a new state of what normal is," said Beargen Warkentin.