Calvillo’s precious gift
As a nurse at the Mont- real Children’s Hospital, I first saw Anthony Calvillo in 2009, soon after his team won the Grey Cup. He came that day to see some of our sick children and put a smile on all their faces.
Many professional athletes come to the hospital from time to time, but Calvillo seemed different; he dressed in regular clothing and was extremely friendly and approachable. The kids loved him. I can remember shaking his hand and congratulating him on his thrilling victory, and thinking to myself, “Why does this guy seem so down to earth?”
I later learned from one of my patients — a teenage boy stricken with a rare form of lung cancer — that he and “A.C.” had become “buddies.” Over the next year, my patient became more and more ill and his death, as we all feared, was approaching. In 2010, after Calvillo himself was battling his own cancer, I caught a quick glimpse of him on my ward, sneaking in to see his buddy. There were no cameras, no photographers, just Calvillo, alone, with an autographed football, for his friend.
My patient — who loved football — died in January 2011, and at his wake, he was holding the ball that was given to him by a great quarterback who loves people.
We at the Children’s wish him the best in his retirement.
Nathan Friedland
Roxboro