Rick Hansen lived in Montney for a few months when he was in Grade 2. He and I were in the “Little Room” at the Montney school along with about thirty other kids in Grades 1 to 3.  Mrs. Craig was our teacher. I think she was about 75 years old.

Sometime during that year, Rick and his family moved to Williams Lake. His grandparents, however, continued to live in Montney. For the next few years, Rick would come to stay with them during the summer holidays… right up until the summer he was hurt.  He would play fastball with us on the Montney boys team and took part in several games and tournaments. He was by far our best player… pitcher, hitter, natural leader and nice guy.

After his injury, it was a long time before I saw Rick again. I was away playing hockey when he came home to Montney for his grandfather’s funeral, as well as when he came back to Fort St. John to take part in the 1975 Northern BC Winter Games (He played table tennis in his wheelchair. There was no separate category for the disabled).

By the time I had a chance to speak to him again he’d become world famous as the “Man in Motion”. He spoke at a conference that I attended in Vancouver in the late 80’s. After his speech, which I remember as inspirational, funny and genuine, he ended up at a table quite near to where I was seated. At first, I was hesitant to approach him, being sure that he was tired of people from his past coming up to him with the “do you remember me?!” line. But, I overcame my Montney boy shy streak, and approached him. He put me at ease immediately. His face lit up, he called me by name, and right away he started to ask about how my family was doing. He also asked, by name, about all of the other Montney boys. As we shook hands and said good-bye he asked, “Larry, do you remember playing tag in the caragana bushes along the creek bank after ball practice?”. I said that I did. He said, “That was fun, eh?!”

In 2012, Rick came to Fort St. John as part of his 25^th Man in Motion Anniversary Tour. I was part of the committee that planned the event but, sadly, I had to be out of the country when he arrived. His visit was scheduled to include some formal meetings and a celebration at the Recreation Center but, as it turned out, he was also going to have some free hours on the morning of his second day in town. His secretary called to ask me if I’d like to organize a trip to Montney at that time. For a few minutes, I actually considered passing up my trip to China! After telling her that I had to be away, I guaranteed her that I could find some Montney boys who would be honoured to take Rick on a memory lane road trip. My buddies, Owen Myhre and Shad Busche did just that! They even arranged to take him to the house where his grandparents had lived all those years ago!

A few weeks after the tour, Rick’s secretary called me to ask if I would be free to take a call from Rick later that day. I said I thought I could find a minute or two (!!).  When he called he thanked me for the district’s part in planning his Fort St. John stop. He raved about his hours with Owen and Shad and then we talked for a while about being kids in Montney.  At one point, he asked how my dad was doing. Dad had coached our ball team back in the day.  I said that he would be 80 on his next birthday and that he was doing fine.  Rick said, “Your dad is an amazing guy”.

I phoned Dad later that night.  I told him that Rick Hansen thinks he’s amazing.  I think I made his day.

Man in Motion – St. Elmo’s Fire video.

Check out Rick’s foundation.