Steve’s Dream
In early March 2008, my wife Rose Mary had to have a “talk” with me about our son Chris, before going to the Canucks game. “Chad, Chris isn’t enjoying going to the Canuck games with you. He says you always want to talk about his future plans and you’re just too serious! Chad, our son is only 15 years old. Chill, relax and just enjoy the stupid game or you won’t have Chris wanting to go with you anymore!”
Well, the drive to the game that night was pretty quiet. I didn’t know what to say, I was too serious. Heck, I’m a financial planner and that’s what I do. I help people plan for a bright future, so naturally I want to help my boys plan for theirs. I did my best not to say too much that evening, which is tough for me!
About 3 weeks later, our family was enjoying a spring break vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona. Chris and I decided to go to a Chicago Cubs spring training game. As we were walking towards the ticket gate, a man in a Cubs jersey approached us and offered us a pair of free tickets. He pulled out a small brochure that had a picture of a young man on it with the caption “Steve’s Dream” above the picture. He told us:
“This is a picture of my son who suddenly died when he was 24. Steve was a huge Cubs fan and he and I spent hours together at the ball park watching the Cubs and just connecting as father and son. As a way to help our family heal, my wife and I have purchased several sets of tickets for the Cubs spring training games and we look for fathers and sons and mothers and daughters to give the tickets to. We make this gift to you on two conditions:
- 1. You need to pay close attention to the action on the field as these are great seats. They are a few rows up from 3rd base and foul balls can come screaming into your section so be awake!
- 2. No business or school talk. You have to promise me that you will simply just enjoy each other as a father and a son. Can you do that?”
I was immediately reminded of “the talk” Rose Mary had with me 3 weeks earlier, before the Canucks game. Here was a total stranger, who had suffered a HUGE loss in his life, giving me the same advice that my dear wife did. I turned to Chris, and with a big smile on my face, I said, “What do you say Chris, do you think we can do as this man asks?” Chris smiled back at me and said, “Definitely, dad!”
Chris and I had a tremendous time at the game that day. I will never forget the gesture Steve’s dad made to us. I reached out to him upon our return to Vancouver to thank him and let him know that I would “pay forward” his act of kindness to others with my Canuck tickets. Little did he or I know that 9 and a half years later, Chris would die suddenly, also at the age of 24. Isn’t that ironic?
I’m very thankful for the lesson I learned in March of 2008, even though I haven’t applied it as well as I could. My son Nick can attest to that, but I’m thankful that he and I have the opportunity to continue building our father and son bond in our own, unique way.
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Steve’s Dream
In early March 2008, my wife Rose Mary had to have a “talk” with me about our son Chris, before going to the Canucks game. “Chad, Chris isn’t enjoying going to the Canuck games with you. He says you always want to talk about his future plans and you’re just too serious! Chad, our son is only 15 years old. Chill, relax and just enjoy the stupid game or you won’t have Chris wanting to go with you anymore!”
Well, the drive to the game that night was pretty quiet. I didn’t know what to say, I was too serious. Heck, I’m a financial planner and that’s what I do. I help people plan for a bright future, so naturally I want to help my boys plan for theirs. I did my best not to say too much that evening, which is tough for me!
About 3 weeks later, our family was enjoying a spring break vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona. Chris and I decided to go to a Chicago Cubs spring training game. As we were walking towards the ticket gate, a man in a Cubs jersey approached us and offered us a pair of free tickets. He pulled out a small brochure that had a picture of a young man on it with the caption “Steve’s Dream” above the picture. He told us:
“This is a picture of my son who suddenly died when he was 24. Steve was a huge Cubs fan and he and I spent hours together at the ball park watching the Cubs and just connecting as father and son. As a way to help our family heal, my wife and I have purchased several sets of tickets for the Cubs spring training games and we look for fathers and sons and mothers and daughters to give the tickets to. We make this gift to you on two conditions:
- 1. You need to pay close attention to the action on the field as these are great seats. They are a few rows up from 3rd base and foul balls can come screaming into your section so be awake!
- 2. No business or school talk. You have to promise me that you will simply just enjoy each other as a father and a son. Can you do that?”
I was immediately reminded of “the talk” Rose Mary had with me 3 weeks earlier, before the Canucks game. Here was a total stranger, who had suffered a HUGE loss in his life, giving me the same advice that my dear wife did. I turned to Chris, and with a big smile on my face, I said, “What do you say Chris, do you think we can do as this man asks?” Chris smiled back at me and said, “Definitely, dad!”
Chris and I had a tremendous time at the game that day. I will never forget the gesture Steve’s dad made to us. I reached out to him upon our return to Vancouver to thank him and let him know that I would “pay forward” his act of kindness to others with my Canuck tickets. Little did he or I know that 9 and a half years later, Chris would die suddenly, also at the age of 24. Isn’t that ironic?
I’m very thankful for the lesson I learned in March of 2008, even though I haven’t applied it as well as I could. My son Nick can attest to that, but I’m thankful that he and I have the opportunity to continue building our father and son bond in our own, unique way.