Book Review - Hockey Fan (Calumet, MI)

I just finished reading your book for the second time and once again I sit here with tears in my eyes. Four years ago I received that same call early on a Friday morning that my father had suddenly passed away at the hospital. Unlike you with your dad, I had been able to visit and talk with him at the hospital until about 8:00PM the night before. The last thing I said to him as I left his room was, "See you tomorrow, Dad! Even though my father had congestive heart failure and a few other complications, I never dreamed that it would be the last time I would talk with him.

Your account of the final years and days of your father's life and the thoughts going through your mind really hit home with me. I had no idea how much the ending would affect me personally. My father was a product of the "Great Depression" as historians call it, but as he said so often, "there was nothing "Great" about the depression". He never was involved with or followed sports because he had to spend all of his free time working to help out his family. He never encouraged or discouraged me from playing playing sports, but he would always tell my mother that it did keep me out of trouble. Like your father, my dad had a great influence on my life, not through our mutual love of sports, but through the way he taught me how to do so many things. He was a mechanic by trade, but he knew how to do almost everything a man would need to do in his lifetime. He built our home, garage, sauna, fabricated and welded our sauna stove, pored concrete, layed block, did the electrical, plumbing and anything else that needed to be done at home. I don't ever recall my dad calling anyone to build or repair something except when we had to have our well drilled.......and if he had the rig he could have done that as well. Maybe the most important thing he taught me was not to be afraid to try things. He always reminded me that," if a man made it, then another man could fix it". He was not afraid to tackle anything and that made a deep impression on me as a youngster.

My father told me once that he had never read any book in it's entirety. Yet, he is one of the smartest individuals I have ever known. His attitude towards life, dealing with people, raising a family and working hard have been the most valuable things he could have ever given me. He never went to high school, but he was proud of me for getting a college degree because I accomplished what I had set out to do. He had no degree in education like I did, yet he was the best teacher I ever had.

So Chris, I guess what I'm saying is that your book about you and your dad helped to rekindle memories of my relationship with my dad. Even though the things I have related to you about my father have been in my head all these years, it took your book to help remind me just how much my father taught me and how influential he has been on my life.

Your father was great guy and I always enjoyed every opportunity I had to talk with him. Now, I enjoy talking to your mother at the rink when she is there watching her grandsons play. I have gained even a greater feeling of respect for her after reading how calm and strong she was while dealing with your father's illness and death. You could always tell how much they loved each other because they were always doing things together. Unlike your mother and dad, my folks were fortunate to have 25 years of retirement together, for which I am very greatful.

Thanks for writing this book and thanks for signing the copy which you brought to me this weekend. I hope a lot of young people will read this book over the years. Not just to learn the valuable life lessons taught to you by your father, but also to realize how important it is to appreciate your parents while they are still alive. You see Chris, I never ever told my dad how much he meant to me and how much I appreciate what he taught me and did for me. I'll regret that to my grave. I won't make that same mistake with my mother.

All the best to you and your family in the coming year.