Copying my post from the other thread.
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I have no words to express my sadness.
My condolences to his family. I will miss him even if I never had the pleasure meeting him.
2020 is officially the worst year in my lifetime. And that includes losing my dad, uncle, aunt, and cousin all within 4 years of each other.
May Ducky enjoy the hockey rink up in the sky.
i have two funny Ducky stories.
Growing up in Winnipeg, i never met any players unless i waited outside the Arena to get their autographs. I think i started doing that the year Dale was traded.
fast forward a few decades. I moved to Toronto. I'm working a corporate job for a grocery chain and we get this announcement that some NHL alumni will be in the cafeteria signing autographs. They read a list of players. I'm like "I bet you Ducky is one of them." no Ducky read out. i was so damn sure that Dale would be there. 5 minutes before the event, they make another announcement and, sure enough, the say "and Dale Hawerchuk." Yeah! so i go down, stand in line. think i remember Paul Coffey being one of the players. honestly, i don't get autographs. i don't get star struck. i don't give 3 shits. i just skipped all the players, went up to Dale, said "Dale, I just want to thank you for all that you did playing for the Jets. I grew up in Winnipeg as a big fan." He looked uncomfortable with someone heaping a simple amount of praise. he asked me which neighbourhood i was from, we talked for a few more seconds, and that was it. i was good.
a few years back, my wife was the photographer for a Toronto charity event. People raise money for the opportunity to play hockey with and against alumni. after day 1, she told me "some ex-Jet named Hawerchuk is there." Really?!?! you talk to him? you get any good pictures of him? no, wait. take your vintage Jets' jersey tomorrow and please ask him to sign it. i think that will be awesome.
comes back the next day and Dale signed it for it. She wears it whenever we travel(ed) to Buffalo to see the Jets play.
on a day like today, talk about only the good memories