"Lordsy" was destined to captain our Junior Team Canada squad heading to Torino, Italy in June. As a veteran of the team, with a tour already under his belt, and being one of the most popular boys in the room, it would have been an easy choice.Kevin was a lot of things every young man should be, caring, respectful, passionate, dedicated, and courageous. When he was first diagnosed with his condition a few years ago, he accepted it as a challenge, undertaking debilitating treatments that weakened him to a state most would never recover from, but he fought back to get in shape and was on the floor in Charlottetown, PEI in July of 2005 competing at the Junior Nationals. After that event he was named to the 2006 Team Canada, where he would have the honour again to wear the CBHA logo on his chest. Something he wore proudly.

At 19, he and several young ball hockey buddies did the unthinkable, winning a National Qualifier in Ontario, usurping veteran incumbents and named tournament MVP. Kevin was front and center representing Beeton, ON, in Calgary last August. He relished every minute of it, and I to in watching him, jealous of his age, his spirit, and the way his smile drew a crowd around him.

Kevin was a hero to me. Every moment I saw him on the floor, he filled my heart with joy, and his courage lessened the mundane troubles that we at times let become bigger than they actually are. Not having him in Italy, not seeing him at future Nationals, or other tournaments, not hearing about his latest escapades, are all things that I shall miss for the rest of my life. Of course, that pales in comparison to the loss that his family will bear.

It seems as though the man upstairs always takes the best ones early. I suppose it is a rite of passage that only the truly good travel much sooner than the rest of us. I have to think of it in those terms, because anything less is unacceptable.