ESPN Anchor Apologizes to Zach Whitecloud for Insensitive Joke About Name
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud, the first Indigenous NHL player from the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, forgave ESPN anchor John Anderson for an insensitive joke about his last name. Whitecloud carries his grandfather's last name, who was a survivor of Canada's residential school program for First Nations people. Anderson apologized and Whitecloud reached out to him to offer help and move forward. Whitecloud emphasized the importance of educating oneself on the history of the residential school program and acknowledging its significant trauma for Indigenous families.