Our Lady of Perpetual Hell

The Wallaceburg Lakers held a pre-game ceremony this week to retire Tristan’s #16. I will just post a few pictures at this point, as I am still trying to work through how I feel about it… Imagine something being both wonderful and horrifying at the same time.

I will write more about that later.

Tristan’s parents Chris & Bob, his big brother Mike, and I were on-ice for the ceremony. His grandpa & grandma declined and, instead, watched from the stands with lots of our friends who came down from Sarnia to Wallaceburg for the game. One of the organizers was the coach’s sister Gail, who spoke eloquently about how Tristan’s smile was what she remembered most about the first time she met him. His smile was something that so many people have remarked upon! I’m glad he was known for it, ‘cause it definitely was a beaut.

After Coach Mark Davis spoke warmly about how the team is family (and if you click the photo below, then click to enlarge the photo that subsequently opens, you can read what he said), T’s dad Bob thanked the coach, T’s teammates, and the Lakers organization & its fans for all the love and support they’ve shown us and told them how much it has meant to us.

After the game, the team and all the hockey families gathered upstairs for the annual potluck dinner. T would’ve loved the cake!

Not sure if I’ve ever mentioned it here, but T’s teammates have worn their hair in mohawks like his ever since he passed away. It is a gesture that touches me deeply. How this experience has utterly changed my opinion about this generation of young people is another topic I want to address at some point. Seems the world is not as doomed as I previously thought.

Next Wednesday (Feb. 4) is the Wallaceburg Lakers’ last home game of the 2008-2009 regular season. The team plans to retire Tristan’s jersey in a pre-game ceremony that night, and I just wanted to mention it here for anyone who might like to attend. Game-time is 7:30pm at the Wallaceburg Memorial Arena (map).

The support we have gotten from the Lakers organization, the team’s fans, and from his wonderful teammates and their families has been amazing.

Thank you, Pittsburgh.

And allow me to take the opportunity to add, “Go Nashville”.

Okay, that’s settled, so let’s just move on and see what we can do about all those other no-trade/no-movement clauses that Junior granted in contract negotiations as GM.