Regular Meteors anthem singer stays positive despite health challenges

Nolan Soucie lives in Welland, but his heart is in Fort Erie when it comes to his favourite Jr. B hockey team.

He’s been singing the national anthem at home games for years, a connection made through a family friend, former head coach Rob Hubbert.

“That’s how I got the gig, and I’ve been doing it ever since,” he said, after chatting with Fort Erie Radio reporter Kris Dubé about their common love for the Montreal Canadiens.

Belting out vocals has been a passion of his since childhood.

“I’ve been singing since I was six years old,” he told Fort Erie Radio, a few days after he was featured in an article published on Niagara Health’s website, highlighting the 35 year old’s life and the challenges he has faced and overcome.

Soucie lives with cerebral palsy and kidney disease. He undergoes dialysis three times a week, with each session lasting nearly four hours. But when he sings, none of that defines him.

“Nolan shows what it looks like to live fully while managing serious health challenges,” said Niagara Health registered nurse Robyn Nikisher, who has worked with Soucie since 2018.

“He’s not defined by illness. He gives people hope–not just kidney patients, but anyone going through something difficult,” said Nikisher in the Niagara Health story, part of a series published by the health system called Hospital Spotlight.

Singing is a tradition inspired by his father, who once refereed in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

His passion for music and hockey is matched by his determination.

Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects muscle co-ordination and movement. Soucie’s symptoms became more noticeable at age three, and by about age 12 he transitioned to using a wheelchair when he could no longer move with a walker.

As a youth, he received physical therapy at Niagara Children’s Centre, which included targeted cerebral palsy exercises.

At about seven or eight, he underwent successful surgery at SickKids to insert pins and plates in his hips–a procedure that gave him more comfort and mobility.

In 2017, he was diagnosed with kidney disease after sudden leg swelling led to urgent tests and hospitalization. Shortly after, he began dialysis at the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines.

Now, with hopes of a future kidney transplant, Soucie continues to show up at the rink, on the mic and in life.

Asked about how he stays positive with having such complicated health issues on his mind, he said being “active in the community” is what keeps him going.

While one specialist initially gave the green light, three surgeons later advised against a transplant due to the high risks of surgery related to his physical condition and cerebral palsy. He’s now waiting for another opinion in London, a process that could take up to a year.

While he waits, Soucie continues to pour energy into the things that bring him purpose.

“I don’t let anything hold me back,” he said.

“If there is something I want to do, I find a way to do it,” he said in the Niagara Health story.

One of his favourite moments was the day the Meteors won the conference championship trophy in 2024 and handed it to him to hold after bringing it home.

“It just felt like I was part of something bigger,” he recalled.

He told Fort Erie Radio he was disappointed the championship was won on the road and that he wasn’t at the rink in Caledonia when the Meteors won in game seven, but he was able to catch TV coverage of the victory.

Soucie regularly plays in a music group at Welland Community Centre.

He once performed at a talent show in 2022, and sang Elvis’s ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love.’ He took third place.

While Soucie’s drive and optimism are undeniable, he is quick to credit those around him who make his busy life possible.

From his wife Brianna Norman to his health care team, Soucie is surrounded by support that helps him stay active, hopeful and independent.

“We take care of each other,” Norman said. “He motivates me and I motivate him. We’re a team.”

The two met in 2014, connecting online before building a life filled with hockey games, concerts and plans for the future.

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