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How do I describe my dad? Well, first and foremost, he was an amazing husband, a dedicated father, a caring brother and a great friend and from all the messages I’ve been receiving seems that he was also an incredible boss, leader and business partner. One of the last things he said before he passed was that he had lived a full life, had accomplished everything he ever wanted to do and that he was at peace if he had to leave this world. I wish it would have been 20 years later but at least it was quick, and he didn’t suffer. He was a proud man and the last thing he wanted was to be a burden on anybody. Even while he was at the hospital fighting for his life, he kept on trying to make other patients feel good. Every day he would ask me to bring him a few packs of cigarettes and I couldn’t understand how he could smoke so much. Hold and behold, I find out that he was giving them to other patients that were alone and weren’t able to go out and get some. That was the type of person my father was. Always thinking about everyone before himself. One of the last moments I had with him, was when the palliative doctor met with him and asked him what would be the one thing he would do if he were to go back home. Without missing a beat, he said that he would eat a tomahawk steak (he said he would eat like Fred Flintstones), drink a root beer float and have a shot of tequila. Unfortunately, that never happened but we will definitely honour his last wishes. My father was caring, patient and compassionate person. Believe me, my sister, mom and I tested that to its limits. I remember many times when I screwed up and was sure that I was going to get punished for the next century, it never happened. He simply looked at me with a stern look and said that he was disappointed. That was worst then any punishment and always got me back on track. He loved fishing and skiing. Every year when I was a kid we would go in the “Parc Lavérendry” and spend a week fishing. It was amazing. Actually, seeing that we were going there every year, my mom and him decided to buy a land and build and log cabin so we could have a place of own there. However, life got in the way and we never went back. Actually, I don’t even know if it’s still standing. Since his retirement, we kept on saying that we would go and see it but never did. Looking back, I wish I did. When I was younger my father worked a lot so he couldn’t be there as much as he wanted to. He loved his work so much and kept on telling me that when you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. Work should be fun, and he had an amazing career filled with incredible friendships building one of the most incredible company in the world. However, when he did get home, nothing could distract him from spending time with his family. Every night, he would read a bedtime story to my sister and I and after the story was done, while he was tucking me in, he always used to tell me “good boys get everything, and bad boys get nothing”. He definitely lived up to the “get everything part”, not so sure I lived up to the “good boys” part as much (oops). I also remember him, spending countless hours standing in the freezing cold just looking at my sister and I race down the hill. It was below thirty and he just stood there hour after hour in awe and pure delight. Sometimes, I thought that he went numb and was frozen solid but then I would stop beside him and he would have the biggest grin on his face. He always would say that family is the most important thing in the world and he definitely practiced what he preached. I will miss him very much and hope to honour his legacy.

Nicola Bégin Liben