The letters DIFD stand for "Do It For Daron" - a youth-driven initiative focused on raising awareness and inspiring conversations about youth mental health - according to the DIFD website.
The initiative was created in memory of Richardson's daughter, Daron, who passed away from suicide in November 2010. She was just 14 years old.
"They're new, so it was the first time I wore them," said the former defenseman, who joined the Canadiens' coaching staff over the summer. "I gave a pair to Bill Ranford, who is the goalie coach for L.A. He wore them, too. He's an old teammate and friend."
The socks are purple because that was Daron's favorite color.
"That's why everything's kind of purple," explained Richardson, referencing the many other items available for purchase online in support of the DIFD Fund at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. "I probably have more purple in my wardrobe than any man in North America. It's fun and it's kind of in right now. It works for what we're doing."
And, what the Richardsons are doing is making every effort to spark discussion about a global issue.
"We just thought that the socks were one way to be colorful and shed some light on a bit of a dark topic, take a little bit away from the stigma and get some exposure in a positive way," mentioned Richardson. "The kids are into that type of clothing]. They're into the fun hoodies and the fun toques. We tried to add something that's fun for them to wear, so people talk about mental health and get the awareness out there."
To purchase the DIFD socks and other DIFD items,
[click here
.
To learn more about DIFD,
click here
.
