The Dallas Stars DJ has apologized for playing La Bamba after the Game 2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
La Bamba became Edmonton’s victory song thanks to long-time Oilers attendant Joey Moss and was made even more popular by superfan Ben Stelter, who died from cancer two years ago.
“I’m sorry, Oilers fans,” Jonathon Shipman wrote on X. “If I knew what I know now about the significance of La Bamba to your franchise and fan base, I certainly would not have played it. I thought it was just a happy, fun win song. Thank you to all the Oilers fans who have been so understanding. Much love!”
Ben Stelter after receiving his own Oilers trading card.
He also made a donation to the Ben Stelter Foundation, which has resulted in more than $10,000 in donations from Dallas and around the world, foundation chair Ashif Mawhi said.
In an interview with CTV News Edmonton late Monday afternoon, Shipman said he still feels really bad but is happy about the money raised for the foundation.
“When I woke up, I checked my X, I saw all the notifications, I saw an article and realized there was a really significant meaning behind it all and felt awful,” Shipman said. “I feel terrible. I did not intentionally do that. It was supposed to be out of fun.
“I had a bunch of friends texting me, Stars fans were reaching out and saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to donate too. We know you didn’t mean anything behind this…it felt really nice.”
Today would have been Ben’s eighth birthday.