‘He did make a difference’
Floor hockey tournament honours Membertou man
He was a friend to all, youth and elders, with an infectious laugh, which is why Thomas Duran Christmas is being remembered through one of his favourite things — hockey.
Duran was 21 when he died by suicide in 2005. Yet the impact he made on people in Membertou is so strong, members of the community created a floor hockey tournament in his memory. The second one was held Sunday.
“He was a young fellow up here who was very active in the community… a lot of the kids up here were drawn to him. He was well liked,” said Laurie Doucette, an event organizer.
“He played road hockey, floor hockey at the gym. He would walk around with his hockey stick shooting rocks,” said Gail Christmas, another organizer.
Members of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles hockey team attended, taking pictures and signing autographs with the youth that participated.
Participation was free and there were small fundraisers, like a 50-50 draw, for the Membertou Youth Centre.
“For a long time I felt like his memory was fading into the history of Membertou. Then they put this together,” said Kennedy Marshall, 20, Duran’s niece.
“I wish he’d been here for it. To know people still care this much makes my heart warm.”
Doucette suggested starting the floor hockey tournament. With the Because You Care Cup returning to Membertou next year, she hopes to see more than one team from the community enter.
The organizers chose to make the tournament in memory of Duran because he loved the sport and loved making people feel good.
“He was that type of person that would do anything to cheer someone up. And go out of his way to help people, too,” Christmas said.
“It’s nice to know he isn’t just another statistic. He did make a difference in people’s lives,” said Marshall.