In Memory of Luc Bourdon

6-0 blowout over the Flames; a free team cap; new stereo and graphic projection system at GM Place; the Canucks season opener could not be better with fans dissing the cowboys sitting in front of us. However, when it came back to reality, this night was only about one person - the fallen teammate who’s no longer with us - Luc Bourdon.

It was that early summer afternoon, I was going out for some grocery after work when my roommate told me the news. I asked him again to confirm because I wasn’t sure who he was talking about with his French accent. “Luc Bourdon, the Canucks player, is dead.” “Oh yeah, of course I know Luc Bourdon,” I replied. Hold on... Who??? Then, I’m not sure if I was too stunned to react or what, I went out of the house without saying a thing. What could I say at that moment?! On the short walk to the grocery store, my stomach started to upset, my feeling started to get eerie: “Luc Bourdon is dead???” That upcoming star this entire city put on? That strong and skillful player who brought Team Canada the World Junior in Vancouver two years ago? That happy kid who had the best rookie dance and gave the camera that cute wink with Gold Medal around his neck? That #28 who went up and down in our system fighting for the big league and made me so excited to yell his name when he scored his first NHL goal with that slapper? ...... NO WAY! I couldn’t wait for long to come back home and check the internet; and by that time, news already flooded the entire hockey world. The unthinkable did happen. For the next few days, I was haunted by this tragedy. I couldn’t go to sleep easily without thinking about it. I wore my jersey out and put Luc’s name on the back. I watched his funeral and tribute on the internet time after time. A group of gracious Canucks fans self-started a memorial in front of GM Place, I was glad to be one of them and put down my flowers and message. I didn’t know him personally but I know him as a Canucks family: WE ARE ALL CANUCKS! I had no idea why I did those things, maybe I needed something to have this reality sink in and move on. It wasn’t quite successful. Even with all those incredible Canucks fans supporting each other, it wasn’t that easy. This was supposed to be the year he would finally step up as our top-6 defence. The entire city was waiting for this moment. It will never happen.

As soon as the organization announced the tribute before the first game, I knew I needed to be there. Tonight, I saw his mother and girlfriend fighting back tears and acknowledging the fans applauding for the life of Luc; I relived those great moments Luc’s short life brought to us in Tom Cochrane’s singing of Big League; I cried out Luc’s name in the stadium. I knew he was there with us, because “Once A Canuck, Forever A Canuck.”