Well-dressed man
June 28, 2004
By Cam Tait
CAMROSE, AB // He wore a white shirt, a blue and red striped tie, blue slacks, and a sports jacket. He could have easily had a tailor-made suit, a custom-fitted shirt with initials on his cuff links and a $100 tie. He could have just signed his name on his book, or used a stamp with his signature - something that would certainly make things easier.
When he addressed the group of 150 in the small room at the exhibition
grounds on the east end of town here, he could have just spoken for
a tight 30 minutes - or, if he wanted he could stretch it out to 40.
Instead, for 95 minutes, he read a script, word for word, with jokes,
and poems, and stories about his life. Nobody, despite the very warm
room temperature, walked out on him.
Then, after his speech he posed for pictures for another hour before finally going to his hotel room. He made everyone he met feel special. It may have been just a single word, or the way he shook hands, or an extra smile. His excitement and enthusiasm for life is a lesson we can all learn from.
Especially since he isn't supposed to be alive.
It was back in the fall of 1991 - October was the month - when a stroke hit him. His family was called to a Hamilton hospital one night to say goodbye because doctors said he wouldn't be alive in the morning. He lived, but would have to learn everything over again. Brushing his teeth, feeding himself, and having pictures of his family on the walls so he could reacquaint himself with them. It was a long process, taking years to regain almost everything he gathered over a half century of living.
Once he was confident, he decided to tell his story. So he wrote a book about his experiences. It's dedicated to his 12 grandchildren to remind them there isn't such a word as 'can't'. Now on the public speaking circuit, and signing books with great attention to detail, he's helping to raise funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation by donating partial proceeds from the sale of his book.
He says he had to learn to dress himself again after his stroke. And even though he's one of the most famous fathers in Canada, he most certainly remembered how to dress humbly - knowing that clothes don't make the man.
That's the case when you're Walter Gretzky.
Do you know of someone who deserves to be in Charity Village's Spotlight?
Send us their name, telephone number and details about their community involvement
to cam@charityvillage.com.
