It was the prospect of a lifetime for Dan Joyce: singing the Canadian nationwide anthem for his beloved Calgary Flames and the ‘C of Crimson.’
However to know simply how necessary this second is it’s a must to return — wayyyyy again.
“This might by no means have occurred if it wasn’t for the prank,” Joyce stated.
You see, this New Brunswick mechanic has been singing his total life. Whereas he definitely by no means thought he’d go professional, he wasn’t afraid of a crowd.
“He actually sang all over the place,” Joyce’s son, Dan Jr., stated.
“He’d come residence and sing the incorrect phrases to no matter nation track he was listening to that day and from there it simply form of grew into him doing a number of the anthems for my hockey video games rising up.
“It virtually grew to become a convention for him to have an opportunity to sing in my video games.”
Then got here the prank.
Within the early Nineteen Nineties, a Saint John station tricked Joyce into performing the nationwide anthem on the radio underneath the guise of auditioning to change into the singer for Calgary’s AHL affiliate, the Saint John Flames.
Cue the plot twist.
“The following week, the Flames did truly name me and requested me to sing for the AHL crew,” Joyce laughed. “Over 5,000 followers turned out that sport and I sang it — after which I sang it many instances after that.”
That’s a little bit of an understatement.
Over the a long time, he’s carried out at weddings, funerals, and 1000’s of hockey video games in any respect ranges. However issues took a flip in February, when a tumor was found in his esophagus.
Learn extra:
How N.B. man fighting cancer landed dream gig of singing anthem for Calgary Flames game
He acquired to carry out the nationwide anthem just about for the Calgary Flames in April, as a part of the annual Hockey Fights Most cancers sport.
“The Calgary Flames are my favorite sports activities crew — the oncology division is my favorite crew, interval,” Joyce stated.
“They saved my life.”
The Joyce household proudly exhibiting off their favorite crew’s jerseys.
Offered/Dan Joyce Jr.
Since his restoration has come to this point within the months since — he’s even again to working half-days on the storage — the Flames opted to fly Joyce and his household to Calgary to meet that decades-old dream in particular person.
Learn extra:
Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Bossy battling lung cancer
Joyce and Dan Jr., his spouse Sharon, and daughter Christina, are getting the royal therapy and touring some southern Alberta landmarks within the whirlwind trip as one other son, Brad, and the remainder of the household watched Dan’s large second Thursday night time from the Maritimes.
He confronted the stress the identical manner he confronted surgical procedures and all adversity: with a smile and a track.
The cheers of the gang began lengthy earlier than the track is over, and because the ultimate notes of O Canada dissipated within the air, the ‘C of Crimson’ was on its ft — leaving Dan positively beaming.
“There’s nothing fairly like that.”
The Flames’ lavender jerseys will now be auctioned off in assist of Hockey Fights Most cancers initiatives, with bidding closing Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 10:00 p.m. MT.
Joyce is at the moment awaiting take a look at outcomes that may inform him if he’s in remission or if he has extra most cancers therapies forward.
© 2021 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
