Families devastated after commemorative bricks removed from Wells Fargo Center

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Hundreds of Flyers fans go to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia to see their team on the ice and the beloved bricks beyond it.

Ryan Raiker from Northeast Philadelphia said his commemorative brick had his name and "Love Mom and Dad XO" inscribed on it.

He said the commemorative brick sat near the Broad Street entrance for nearly 30 years.

"The idea was your name would be part of the legacy of the arena, and for our family that was something that my dad cherished very much," said Raiker.

It's a gift that has since developed an even deeper meaning since Raiker's father passed away in 2018.

Raiker said it was a family tradition to visit the brick with loved ones before each game.

Wendy Schlessinger told Action News that she and her son Patrick did the same for almost three decades.

Their brick had Patrick's name on it and "Future Flyer."

"It was a good bonding moment for my son and I, because at the time when we got the brick, I was a single mom, and it was something I could do because we couldn't necessarily afford tickets," said Schlessinger from Eagleville.

Now, those special bricks have been replaced with cement.

"One of the reasons we got it was the immortality and the legacy of it," Schlessinger said. "I still have my son. I know other families did it for deceased family members."

"We actually buried my dad in a Flyers jersey, so there's a lot to love and sort of a lot to feel just upset about in this situation," said Raiker.

"It never should have happened. They made phone calls for plenty of other outreach, but not this?" he added.

Many are upset about the lack of communication from the Wells Fargo Center, finding out about the bricks on social media or by surprise in person.

A spokesperson with the center said in a statement that some bricks needed to be replaced due to wear and tear while others were removed as part of the transformation project.

The statement also said, "We have kept detailed records of everyone who has purchased a brick, and we're already in the process of reimagining the program with a new display so that everyone who purchased a brick will continue to be a special part of the arena."

"You can reimagine it, but you can't replace the feelings, the connections, and the emotions that folks like myself and so many others have," said Raiker.

"Do they have the bricks? Are they just putting a few names somewhere? Are they putting out all of our bricks, all of our statements, all of our names? I haven't heard anything from them," said Schlessinger.

These families hope the Wells Fargo Center communicates with them moving forward and that the display isn't a virtual one.