A Sad Day but a day of Reflection

I received an email and link from my father today.  The link was to an article in the Vancouver Sun announcing the death of my Senior Highschool Principal Mr. Bob Carkner.  He was truly a man of inspiration.  He passed away at the age of 73 which made me realize how many years have gone by since I graduated from highschool.  He was a man who seemed to have time for everybody.  When I was in Grade 11 he learned about my Sport Karate results and took an notice.  He even announced one day on the PA about my recent Grand Champion win at the provincial juniors after reading about it in the paper.  In grade 12 I was selected to go to my first national championships and all my teachers had signed off on my consent form but my French Teacher.  So he took the initiative to sit down and talk with her to see reason.  As reluctant as she was, he succeeded and got her consent.  He did all of this for me even though it was not part of the highschool sport curriculum.  When he shook my hand on graduation day he wished me luck in my future competitions and told me to keep at it as I did for many years after.  He always brought out the best in most people and got them to do things that they never thought they were capable of.   I read about him from time to time, in the newspapers, about his adventures.  He even travelled and lived in Ho Chi Minh city for a while to work for a charity house building organization.  With all these things going on in his life he still managed to have time for his family, as you will read in the article.  I think one of the things I remember the most about him was that he had the coolest car for a Principal, an Iroc Z28 Convertible.  Rest in Peace Mr. Carkner and thank you for you encouragement during my highschool years.  That encouragement still lives on in me today.                                                                    Bob Carkner, a man of inspiration http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Popular+Richmond+educator+remembered/1886036/story.html