Family of ex-Petes head coach takes up Alzheimer’s cause
There are few scenes from Memorial Cup championship wins that rival assistant coach Vince Malette jumping off the ledge of the Ottawa 67’s bench onto the ice following Matt Zultek’s overtime goal.
The 1999 championship marked Malette’s first major success as coach. His career success wasn’t capped there.
The Ottawa native earned another J. Ross Robertson Cup in 2001 and three DEL championships with Eisbaren Berlin.
Malette began coaching junior hockey in 1991 with the CJHL’s Ottawa Jr. Senators before joining the 67’s and legendary coach Brian Kilrea for nine seasons. Malette cracked his first spot as a head coach in the OHL with the Peterborough Petes in 2006.
It was here he developed some of the Petes’ best talent since the new millennium including Arturs Kulda, Zach Bogosian and Steve Downie. Malette described Downie as “the best player I ever coached.”
Following his time in Peterborough, he returned home to coach another two seasons in the CJHL before moving to Germany and joining Eisbaren Berlin alongside head coach Don Jackson.
It was upon his arrival home following a season in Germany his wife, Joana, recognized Malette behaving uncharacteristically and urged him to seek medical help. Following a series of cognitive tests, doctors concluded Malette was living with Alzheimer’s, a disease that destroys nerve connections in the brain and a scenario Joana, and daughters Alyssa and Amanda, could have never predicted.
“When he was first diagnosed, we were quite shocked. We weren’t expecting him to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I mean, me and my sister didn’t even know you could get Alzheimer’s so young, it was something new to my family,” said eldest daughter, Amanda.
Following the diagnosis the family identified scarcities in resources offered to those living with early onset Alzheimer’s.
“It seemed like every place we went they were able to give us a little bit of information but there wasn’t much out there for people with early onset and what it would look like in a couple of years. Through our journey, we realized there’s really quite a gap and most of the programs and assistance are for people more elderly.”
The tight-knit family drew inspiration out of the tragedy and set out to raise money and open programs for those living with the same challenges. Their initial fundraiser was the Face Off to End Alzheimer’s golf tournament in 2019 at the Metcalfe Golf Course, just south of Ottawa.
“We used social media to call out for the golf tournament and it just took off (with support from my) dad’s friends and family who he grew up with and the teams he coached. The support was unreal. We couldn’t believe that there was so much community behind us and so many people were thankful that we were sharing our story.”
More than 200 people came together to support Malette and raised $31,796.68 for the Alzheimer’s Society.
“It was something meaningful and hard to share and I think my dad was so proud about how many people came forward to donate gifts and prizes, and how many sponsorships we had in our first year. It just seemed like everyone wanted to make it a huge success in the first year for my dad.”
The family is looking to work with the Alzheimer’s Society to create programs where those living with early onset Alzheimer’s can meet with people in similar ages and stages to build their network and create adaptive opportunities.
The Metcalfe Golf Course and Alzheimer’s Society has provided Malette with a buddy trained to understand how to communicate and what things to be looking for when going out and golfing with him. Malette continues to be active and involved with hockey, attending practices and games of the Jr. Senators Midget AAA, the team his brother Steve has coached for the last three seasons.
In March 2018, the Ottawa Citizen published an article on Malette’s diagnosis and detailed his family’s reaction. Since then an outpouring of support has arrived at the doorstop of the relentless Malette family.
“It definitely made it really real for people who hadn’t seen him in a while. One of the main reasons why we did it is because there’s no cure for early onset or any Alzheimer’s and we wanted it to be known we’re desperate for a cure and looking for help,” said Amanda.
Most recently, a video of hope circulated on Twitter of Malette hitting an outdoor rink with his family and skating as comfortably as any coach ever has.
In the wake of what could have been categorized as a tragedy, the former Petes coach and his family have selflessly given the world a peek into the reality of early onset Alzheimer’s and continue to dedicate their time to raising funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Dear Readers: Here’s some of many responses to a letter-writer’s complaint regarding Canadian neighbours who travelled to their Florida property (Feb. 16):
Reader No. 1: “I’m happy for my neighbours who are able to go to their winter home in Florida and also get vaccinated.
“If the disgruntled/hurt letter-writer just had showed some kindness and positivity with the neighbours she/he would have a much happier life.”
Reader No. 2: “The government encouraged us not to travel but does allow it. People must quarantine upon their return.
“Yes, there’s some physical health risk, but there’s also the mental health aspect, a huge issue for many people.
“I’m not worried about them infecting others if they properly quarantine upon their return.
“My family and I haven’t travelled because I’m not comfortable doing so. But I don’t judge. The people I know have worn masks, followed all rules and properly quarantined.”
Reader No. 3: “About Canadians getting vaccinated in Florida: It’s a response to, ‘it’s available there when it wasn’t available here.’
“The complex where we own in Florida obtained the vaccine for all owners. Our friends went, got the vaccine and returned weeks ago.
“I’m 85, my wife and I didn’t go, so we’re awaiting, isolated and in risk. Should we have gambled instead?”
Reader No. 4: “I don’t know what we did to deserve the pariah status we’ve been accorded. It’s like we voluntarily decided to be infected with COVID-19 and spread it to unsuspecting Canadians.
“We travelled to properties we own in Florida. We and our friends aren’t in hot spots like Miami.
“We walk outside in the warmth and play socially distanced golf ( just as was done in Toronto during the summer).
“We haven’t been to a restaurant and wear masks during required trips to the store.
“My wife and I and Canadian friends here have received the vaccine. Yet we’re told upon returning to Canada we have to go through severe isolation while variants brought to Canada were on airplanes returning from hot spots (Brazil, U.K., etc.).”
Reader No. 5: “My wife and I are wintering in our Florida home for six months, having left mid-October.
“For six months we’ve posed zero risk of spreading COVID-19 to other Canadians, consumed zero Canadian health-care resources and will return vaccinated, thereby saving vaccine for other Canadians.
“We’ll test negative before returning. Why do so many people think this is a bad thing?”
Reader No. 6: “It seems that your reader is envious and that the friendship with the neighbours isn’t genuine. I don’t see the travellers as selfish for taking advantage of an opportunity to protect themselves.
“I’m 71, cooped up in a Toronto winter, waiting anxiously for my turn for a vaccine. I’m not begrudging others who can get one.”
Reader No. 7: “As retired health-care providers who worked 43 years doing shifts/weekends/holidays and exposed ourselves to every infection while caring physically for sick patients, it seems very short-sighted to shame our choice to leave the Canadian winter.
“Two sisters died at early retirement so for us, at that stage, we realize there are only so many heartbeats left.
“Resenting our southern living is simply small-minded.”
Ellie: I agree there’s been too much rush to criticism. Discontent is rampant this winter due to pandemic anxiety/fatigue: Waiting for vaccines, fearing virus variants.
Disclaimer: In the past, I’ve enjoyed some rented winter weeks on Florida’s westcoast Keys, but this year I’m remaining in Canada throughout, because it’s home.
Ellie’s tip of the day
A year of COVID-19’s threat has unsettled us all. We need understanding of each other’s stresses, not bitter judgment.