Remembering The Great Dad, Walter Gretzky

Walter Gretzky was a great dad just by coaching his son Wayne to be one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) hockey player(s) of all time. I got to meet the source of Wayne's greatness when we received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in early 2013. A gala ceremony took place at Roy Thomson Hall. The whole event was exciting, and being in the same building with other honourees felt both wonderful and surreal. I met a few of them that night, but the one that left a lasting impression on me was Walter Gretzky. He took time to get a photo taken with me and did not appear to be in a rush to go somewhere else. I remember saying to him that I liked his son and his career in the NHL. I also remember him encouraging me to keep going as a fellow recipient of the medal. (His medal was for his charitable activities, and mine was for my volunteer activities.) I wish I had more to write about Walter Gretzky, however I'll always remember him as being down-to-earth and a regular guy who led an extraordinary life.