The difference he has made…

From the moment he wakes up in the morning, he is a happy man.  He gets ready for the day and smiles easily to himself while taking a moment to reflect on his life.  His good friend Wayne Gretzky helped him get the position as locker room attendant for the Edmonton Oilers more than 30 years ago.   Over that time, he has seen the ups and the downs, the victories and the hardships and a lot of ‘greats’ come and go.  He is very thankful to be part of the most incredible team.

 He realizes he is almost set for the day and heads to work.  It’s game day today and his job is an important one.  The pressures for everyone are high and he has seen it all.  The guys are counting on him and he takes pride in his contribution to the team.  The Edmonton Oilers are playing against Tampa Bay Lightning and for some reason; he has a good feeling about Connor McDavid tonight.  The lightning is the toughest team in the league right now but he feels something special is going to happen.  

 As he makes his way to the Oilers dressing room inside Rogers Place, he is greeted with smiles from friends and familiar faces along the way and he knows they too can feel the excitement in the air.  He loves being part of something so special especially in a community of fans that have supported the Oilers through 5 Stanley cups. 

 A few hours later, after his work is done, he takes his usual seat behind the Oilers bench and gives the guys a wave as they take the ice.  The energy in the crowd is electric and they all stand for the Canadian National Anthem. As he sings along with all he’s got, he feels lucky, he loves the game and he remains their biggest fan and stands there with his heart full, realizing he wouldn’t have his life any other way…