Post by Declan on Sept 5, 2009 10:05:43 GMT -5
Some people keep fighting for what they want.
This is the story of a minor league hockey player who refuses to end his dream of playing in the NHL before terminal cancer finally takes his dad. It's also a story of a dad who refuses to die as long as his son is out there chasing that goal.
This is the story of Brandon "Sugar" Sugden and his dad, Travis.
You may recall last year how the 6-foot-4, 233-pound tough guy tried out for the New York Islanders. He didn't make it but still went to the AHL and played for the Hartford Wolfpack.
Spoke to his dad last night, who told me the former St. Mike's Buzzer is leaving next week to try out for the Washington Capitals -- and has signed with their AHL team, the Hershey Bears.
"He's 31 years old and still trying to get there," says a proud Travis, who's also battling his terminal cancer to hang around to see their mutual dream of seeing Brandon play at least one regular-season NHL game.
"I would love to see him get that picture up in the St. Mike's arena and you have to have played in one game to have it happen."
If it does, Brandon has vowed to offer a portion of his salary for cancer research in his dad's name.
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That cancer is an SOB and I was saddened to hear that my former running coach and friend for 30 years Doug Laister died yesterday in Oakville at 87 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. The Second World War air force veteran, teacher and husband and father was a real gem -- a popular member of the Burlington Golf and Country club who routinely shot rounds below his own age. One of a kind.
I wish our governments were more interested in putting money toward stomping out cancer. I was talking to my pal George Gross Jr.'s wife, Veronica, who has been battling breast cancer, has undergone surgery and chemotherapy, and is fighting like a trouper. She and her pal, Barb, are going to be in next week's Weekend to End Breast Cancer and like an angel from above bumped into Jack Kerekian from DanCap who is in group sales for the popular Jersey Boys and offered to donate $10 from every ticket sale until Sept. 27 for her fundraising team. To partake, go to jerseyboystoronto.com/pinkinc. Classy move.
www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/joe_warmington/2009/09/05/10757566-sun.html