As young hockey player Michael Stewart,10, skates side to side between the goal posts during hockey practice, a broad smile is visible underneath the bars of his goaltenders mask.

“I’m very, very happy,” he told CTV Toronto. “Very excited.”

That’s a big difference from two weeks ago, when Michael’s goalie equipment was stolen from his home in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood, after he momentarily left it out front, unattended.

“Who would do something like that?” Michael asked. “I went to the bathroom, two minutes later it was gone.”

Michael’s mother, Jen Stewart, couldn’t believe someone would be bold enough to steal the equipment right off their property.

“In the course of that time, someone walked up the steps onto the front lawn, took the bag, threw it in their car and drove away,” Stewart said.

She said she called around, filed a police report and even posted a notice online seeking information about her son’s expensive hockey equipment. Fortunately for the Stewarts, the Toronto-area hockey community came to their rescue. Strangers donated enough equipment for Michael to be able to play again.

“We had equipment from Mississauga, Scarborough, Leaside, Woodbridge,” Stewart said. “All over Toronto.”

On top of all of the kind support, the Stewart family has since received more good news. Michael’s goalie equipment was located at a Play It Again Sports store. The store manager, William Mckiggan, said the hockey bag had been brought in to the store where he identified it as the missing equipment.

“They (the Stewarts) were very, very excited,” Mckiggan said. “She was very thankful for us getting the equipment for them. They had spent a lot of money on the stuff.”

The Stewarts were able to return the donated equipment because all of Michael’s gear had been retrieved, including his asthma puffer. There was one donated item which Michael loved so much that a family friend allowed him to keep them, however.

“I like them because they’re so colourful,” Michael said of his new cherished lime green skates.

Toronto police have spoken to an adult male suspect and said that charges are pending.

With a report from CTV Toronto