Rd's Blog

DearCanucks: I am writing to you and to my dearCanadians and fellow Vancouverites from Spain, my new home. I seldom writeand I write only when my heart calls for it. On this occasion the motivation ismy son Carlos. He was born in Vancouveron a very beautiful October 27th 1991.It snowed on that great day and it hasnever snowed again on October since then. He was born with a congenital heartdefect and it was miraculously healed by what the doctors at Vancouver’sChildren Hospital called an unexplainablescientific miracle.

My son Carlos has been a Canuck fan sincebirth. My wife Natalia and I stood hours in line when he was 3 months old toget him the Russian Rocket’s autograph and a picture with Russell Courtnall.His first pyjamas were those of the Canucks. He has always been a loyal fan, inthe good times and in the not so good times, unlike me, older and more cynicalgetting off the bandwagon when things looked as in previous years, close but nocigar. I remember when he was 10 we use to argue about the Sedin brothers. Iwanted to trade them and he defended them then and for years to come sayingthey would evolve into great players. I stand corrected.

We moved to Spainto start up our Kermode Canadian Centerin Málaga. Our son Carlos and our daughter were not so happy with the move.Carlos couldn’t speak the language as his sister, but he was more saddenedabout the fact that he had to leave his hockey and his Canucks behind. He andhis sister have picked up the language and have integrated themselves very wellinto our new home, but Carlos has never allowed his love for the Canucks todie. He has picked up the love for soccer and for Barcelona Football Club, asit is expected from a normal integrated Canadian in Spain. It now makes my admiration for him evengreater because he has not allowed that integration to lessen his passion forhis Vancouver Canucks. He has risen at all times in the early morning sometimes 3, 4, 5 am, to catch the game via internet. Every morning he gives me anupdate on trades, injuries, record breakings etc. This has been the routine forthe past five years. We all know their record for the past years and I mustadmit again that I have given up hope here and there. I don’t think I need tomention the fact that my son Carlos has continuously stood behind his Canucksand kept arguing with me that they were on a journey, a process if you willthat they would evolve as the Sedin brothers into greatness.

Five years later we can watch the game on ourSpanish TV, even if its one day later, as a matter of fact the game is on rightnow as I am writing this letter. Technology now allows us to even record thegames. My son Carlos, now 19 years old patiently watches the game here in Spain missingthe voice of ¨Shorty, ¨ John Shorthouse, as the Spanish commentators tryvery hard but cannot give us back our traditional way to watch the sport.

I wanted to share this story, the story of myson Carlos as he is, in my proud opinion, the spirit of the Canucks, the perfect example of what we all should be:loyal, faithful, consistent positive, optimist and never ever lose hope. I loveyou Carlos as I love your sister and your mother, but my heart was telling meto write one more time and share with Canada and the millions of Canucksfans, the certainty I have because of you and your example that the Canuckswill be winners of the Stanley Cup.

Your loving dad,

Carlos R Reygadas