KITCHENER—Ben Fanelli doesn’t remember much.

He knows he missed the video meeting before the Kitchener Rangers were set to play the Erie Otters. And he recalls laughing with teammate Michael Catenacci while the duo taped their sticks before the game.

“After that, I just remember waking up in the hospital,” said the 18-year-old defenceman.

The rest of the night from that Ontario Hockey League game on Oct. 30, 2009, has been wiped from his memory.

Fans haven’t forgotten. About 6,000 watched Erie’s Mike Liambas drive Fanelli into the end boards midway through the match. The hit sent Fanelli’s helmet flying, and he cracked his head on a glass support at the Zamboni entrance before crashing to the ice unconscious in a pool of blood.

He spent a week in hospital with severe brain trauma, a fractured skull and a cut above his right eye. He almost died on the ice.

Now, nearly two years later, Fanelli wants to put the incident behind him. The Oakville native declared he was in perfect health Thursday at a news conference to announce his official return to hockey.

Flanked by Rangers staff, the affable teenager announced his intentions — after much scrutiny by doctors, family and the hockey team — to launch his comeback with the club.

“I’m feeling great and confident about my health,” said Fanelli, who passed a series of medical tests during his layoff. “I really never thought it would happen, but I just kept grinding away and now I’m here.”

The journey has been a struggle at times.

The hit made national headlines and thousands watched clips of it online. Fanelli did too, but has stopped now.

“It doesn’t bring back any fear, but I’m not going to watch it over and over again.”

He doesn’t like to talk about Liambas, either. The former Erie enforcer was suspended for the rest of his OHL career after the game but continues to play minor pro hockey. Fanelli says he hasn’t heard from the tough guy since the incident.

Fanelli rejoined the Rangers about two months after he was released from hospital in a bid to extend his rookie season, which was cut short after seven games. There were some dark days on the sidelines as he worked to get back in shape, especially on game nights at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.

“I would start to feel sick to my stomach just thinking about how hard it was for me to be there,” he said. “There were times when I was pretty close to breaking down.”

To help, he made peace with the spot where the hit occurred.

“I skated out there with (teammate) Gabriel Landeskog and we both ran and jumped into the boards,” he said. “Now, when I go back there, it’s just a regular hockey rink.”

Fanelli wasn’t the only one who had trouble moving on. Kitchener head coach and general manager Steve Spott admitted the silent car ride to the hospital that night was “the worst night of my professional career.”

Fanelli’s mom, Sue, fainted in the stands when her son fell to the ice. She has never liked violence in hockey and still has reservations about watching her son play in a game.

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“I’m struggling with that a bit,” said his mother, who was at Thursday’s conference. “It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever gone through. I want to be there to support him, but I’m not sure yet how I’m going to do it.”

When Fanelli was admitted to the hospital, doctors thought he’d have to take significant time off sports. About six months later, he was on the road to recovery.

“No doctor really has an explanation,” said Fanelli. “It was pretty miraculous.”

Fanelli has never felt any post-concussion-like symptoms and did not have to sign a waiver or get additional insurance to return to the Rangers. He now wears a steel silver cage on his helmet, but admits that he will likely revert to a half-visor during the season, if he makes the team.

And that’s the next hurdle.

The blue liner is in amazing shape. Earlier this summer, he completed a triathlon and also cycled 115 kilometres alongside idol Lance Armstrong during a recent visit to Waterloo Region.

“I like the way he’s playing right now,” said Spott. “He hasn’t lost a stride.”

But he’ll have to earn a spot on the Rangers roster. Fanelli is prepared for bad news.

“I’ve learned pretty well in the last few years that things don’t always work out,” he said. “You just have to deal with what life throws at you.”

Fanelli has aspirations of playing in the NHL. He also wants to continue working with Head Strong, his foundation that raises awareness of brain injuries.

But right now, he’s focused on his comeback. It has been two years in the making. Through it all, he’s had one thing on his mind.

“Playing for the Rangers on opening night,” he said with a smile. “I’ve definitely thought about that.”