The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
He is the coach. He is my friend. He is my brother. Jon: the "coach" of the Bombers. Jon's life has been one big adventure; an adventure full of imagination, fun, and lots of fear. Complications started right from birth. Jon was born with Down Syndrome and his heart was failing. At a very young age, a little boy walked into a Toronto hospital and was prepared for open heart surgery. Our family awaited anxiously and prayed to God for the best. The doctors had told my parents earlier that it was a very high-risk operation and chances of survival were not in his favour. Jon thankfully came out of that surgery a winner but it wasn't a complete success. He would still need another surgery, then another, and then another. Each time our family went through hell and back. It was as if God was delicately puppeting his life just out of our reach. Finally after his fourth surgery, the dark skies were beginning to subside. His heart was functioning very well, and the doctors told us that remarkably he was going to be fine. After four emotionally and physically agonizing operations, after having his life played with like a toy, Jon was fine. He is 21 now and making quite the adventure out of his life, it just keeps on rolling, story after story. He's a walking comedy. There is no one that can match his tales of adventure. His stories will crack you up like a fat man on ice. He has done some of the most memorable things in my life, not all good, but all of them are funny. He drove a car into the water at Jan Lake once, he got stuck in the square hole in the back of a cop car, he hosed off a mean old lady with a super soaker, he ran into a church and tried arresting everyone during a wedding, and he's even taken a little girl's bike away because she didn't have a license for it. As crazy as most of it sounds, Jon did it! But his life didn't really start until his love for hockey came. Hhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeee coooooommmmmmeeeeeee your Flin Flon Bombersssssssssss!!!!!! The Bombers, this is what Jon is mostly connected with. Every single game, Jon will be there. He may be dressed in his gold jacket or his nice shoes or even an ironed pair of pants. Whatever it is, it'll be dressy. Well, he's the "coach" so he has to dress up. Hours and hours before the game, Jon is getting prepared. He'll come out of the bathroom with his hair slicked back and walking in what seems like a fog of cologne. I think it's disgusting but what do I know about what a coach is supposed to look and smell like? Two hours before each game Jon will be there talking to his players, telling them what to do, where to pass, and how to shoot. I guess they don't mind it either because they all love him. He's like a Bomber VIP. They've even taken him out to movies, had him at team suppers, and they've even had him as an honourary coach on the bench before. Jon ought to be considered the fan of all fans, epitomizing what a true fan should be. No matter how bad they do, they can come back and there will be no shortage of love, just a heavy heart. He loves them and to him, they can do no wrong. Jon is the coach of the Bombers, he is their constant teacher and their constant supporter. I can think of Jon as a Bomber fanatic, or a little trouble maker but sometimes I just think of him as brother. He is a very unique person who you will never get tired of talking to. He's everybody's friend and he will chat it up with anyone he sees. He is innocent in that way. He doesn't get caught up on looks, money or reputation. He gives respect to people who have earned it. He just treats everyone great, even me when I don't deserve it. That's just who he is. He has a nice, soft demeanour about him that draws people closer. Jon may not be the perfect brother, yet he is. He could not only be the Bomber coach but he could also be a people coach. He loves, he listens, he gives, he cares. That's all you need to be a great person. All the other stuff doesn't matter because when it comes down to it, Jon is most likely a kinder soul than you or I. We should never look down on him, we should look up to him and idolize his innocence.
