It Was a Sign

I have always been a hockey fan since my childhood years when I actually was learning how to play the game. My talent and love of the game grew as I did like every devoted kid in my era. Hockey was the Game.

Many an evening in my younger years watching the Ottawa 67’s while the thoughts in my head dreamt of being as good a player as Denis Potvin. Yes, as a matter of fact I was in attendance at many games for his former Ottawa team, and yes I am that old.

My love of watching live hockey was instilled at an early age. Any live hockey really. I always felt that the “Junior” league games were a better game to watch because the players are trying to prove themselves in an attempt to make it to the big league. But that is not my point here. I just wanted to give you insight on why I was where I was when this happened.

As luck would have it, I happened upon a pair of tickets to a Kingston Frontenacs game. If you don’t know, they are a team in the OHL who have the talent to vie for a National championship, known as the Memorial Cup. Ok, call me bias.

As I said, I happened upon tickets to the home game on November 7, 2014 which turned out to be more than just tickets to the game. This is an “Oh my god” moment people. I suggest you fasten your chinstraps right now because I can’t be responsible for any injuries incurred from reading this. I’m not kidding. Put on your helmet and fasten it.

While in attendance at the game, we (my wife and I) were aware that there was going to be a special ceremony for the fallen soldiers of the Canadian military. Also on display and presented on the ice for the ceremony, was a mobile monument, for lack of a better term, had been fabricated from assorted salvaged parts and pieces of an armored combat vehicle that had sustained a bombing attack and rendered immobile. This particular vehicle, I was told, burned for 12 hours before they actually buried it with dirt to smother the fire.

To get more to the point of the matter, while we were in our seat prior to the game we noticed that a number of soldiers were going through the crowd at random within the lower bowl area, where we happened to be sitting. People were being asked if they would like to hold up a cardboard sign that depicted the name, photo and date of unfortunate demise of one of our fallen. We saw them within the crowd but were unaware of their request until they came upon us. When asked we responded “Of course we will. It would be an honor”. And sincerely felt honored just to be asked.

Then the soldier laid down his particular small stack of signs on the seats in front of us, as each soldier had their own small stack to distribute throughout the crowd. This was truly random in the dispersing of the signs. No pattern whatsoever. Yes, at this juncture I need to emphasize this point. It was totally random. Kind of like lottery tickets. What are the odds of this kind of stuff?

So he sets down his signs to hand out a couple of them to us a few people around us before he moves on,  from off of the top of his designated pile, when I look down to see the picture of the soldier looking back at me. My heart skipped a beat and I immediately became emotional to the point of tears. I was almost frozen and rendered speechless. And I do not cry easily.

I was looking back at the face of a fallen soldier that I knew. Trooper Brian Richard Good was unfortunately taken from this world on January 7, 2009. I had worked with Brian some years earlier and, from what I have been told, felt a very strong commitment to serve.

I have never taken Remembrance Day services lightly over the years nor have I dismissed the sacrifice that our military choose to take in our stead. Maybe over the years we all seem to recognize it less for whatever reasons we may have.

Regardless, this was my reality check for no other reason than I need to continue to recognize that certain people in this country are willing to sacrifice everything in their lives for what they believe in.

My good friend Randy, after I told him this story, said to me that “it was Brian’s way of letting you know he still has your back”.

No truer words have ever been heard by my ears and it still brings tears to my eyes when I think about it.

Thank you to all who serve.

Thank you Brian.