smithers joe

for me it was baseball. i was origionally cut from my first organized baseball team. all my friends made the team but me. as i walked away crying, the coach ran after me and said, your not a very good players, but you try so hard, i couldn't sleep nights if i didn't give you a chance. through my playing and coaching life, that act of kindnes and blind faith, helped me, become who i am today. not sure what that is but i'm so grateful for that chance. i've given other boys, that same chance.

what event in your youth, most influenced your life's direction?

we are all flawed humans. i not sure, that when we leave this life, we are still not flawed in some ways.

it is all good, good heart. hearing people's stories, is like, medicine for the soul. thanks for answering.

this didn't help at the time but gave some me some peace later on. the day before my wife died, two friends came over and related this story. their daughter had given birth to a baby but was hemoraging inside. the ambulance raced her from smithers to a hospital in terrace. the parents went with her. as they raced along the daughter died. the paramedic, used the paddles and sparked life back into her. the daughter asked, where is my husband? they said, he is the the car following us. she said, no he's not, i was just back there and he wasn't there. then she died again. again the paramedic revived her. she asked, where was i just at? she said it was the most peaceful, wonderfull place she'ld ever been and she didn't want to come back. then she died again. she didn't come back.

i can tell you , you will recover. i lost my wife to cancer 19 years ago. i'll never forget her, but it gets easier in time.

i haven't really put it all together but i'm content in my own skin.

when i worked as a custodian at our high school, i wrote the words of an old frank sinatra tune. i've been a poet, a pirate, a pawn and a king. then said now i clean to the very bowells of this school. in fact i've been a selfish kid, a full of wonder dork, a struggler and a put it all together finally.

now, can you break them down to one or two words?

with me, earlier, i was always trying to live up to what i thought people wanted me to be. i always struggled and failed. as a staff we did this and also with young offenders. we asked them questions about their home life, friends and dreams. then we asks them to take all that and put in one or two words. amazing, when being honest, your answer can be quite accurate. one staff member said his was a walking geographic magazine.

i thought yours would be animal protector.

if you had to describe your life so far in one or two words, how would describe it? when i was younger my life was, i struggle, now i believe it's harmony.

hughes is a team player, bure not so much.

a lullaby in ragtime...harry nilsson.

enemy of the state. it was the only thing worth watching and a break from the olympics. lots of suspence, action and drama. lots of stars in it.

does anyone remember car that had rumble seats? i remember them and the the first car my foster folks had was a 38 pontiac silver streak. i mean they had that car when i remember the time. i think i saw a photo of them in a model t ford.

in the 50's the 57 chev was the most wanted model but i had a friend who had 58 chev impala. i loved that car type. it is still my favourite auto.

my son owned a 1963 ford thunderbird. great looking car but lots of mechanical problems. bought it for 2,000 but sold it for 1,000.

the car i forgot, was a ford bronco from the 80's

don't remember that. trouble enough remember years and makes.

my little station wagon was a datsun

of the seven i remember, i've owned a 49 plymouth. 53 chev coupe, 68 comet caliente, either a 63 or 64 ford galaxie 500 xl,1973 dodge charger, 1975 dodge diplomat, 1992 newyorker and 2004 chev malibu. of those i can't remember, there was a ford pickup, a van? k-car, a little station wagon and one more i can't remember at all. some of those car, if restored would be worth a mint.

can you remember ever car you've ever owned ( year make and nodel? i've owned at least 12 cars. i've identified 7 of the 12 but can't figure out if i owned a 1963 or 64 ford galaxie 500 xl. i only know that other than my newyorker my galaxie was the best car i ever owned.

did we trade willander?