I am a Winnipeg born kid who worked a 30 year career with the Calgary Fire Department. After retirement i moved back to my home town and birth place. I was happy to move back closer to family but i knew i was leaving behind my curling community in Calgary including competing in the Alberta Firefighters Curling Championships and that left a big whole in my life. Upon arriving back in Winnipeg i caught wind that the Winnipeg Fire service had a league and my years of service qualified me yo play in there league and the Manitoba Firefighter Curling Championships. My father was a Winnipeg Fire Captain but he was a line of duty death 4 years before my arrival back. I was nervous walking in that first day but soon discovered that my fellow Firefighters in Winnipeg welcomed me with open arms and some even shared stories of working with my Father. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. Soon after my arrival i developed a bond with a Winnipeg Fire Captain Mike who I discovered was a bit of a carbon copy of me. Both about the same age and both worked hard to support our Firefighter Provincial Championships. We also shared the same record of competing in the Championship for over 3 decades and never prevailing as a winner. In 2019 we entered the event and after two games we already had a loss after two games. We then played the next 6 games in just over 30 hours. We did not lose another game and as our opponents last rock rolled out of the rings two very exhausted aging Fire Captains ( Retired) achieved there unlikely dream come true, drought ending Provincial Championship. I will never forget coming to a dead stop then turning around in a slow motion 360 degree motion. It seemed to take forever as it had begun to sink in, my eyes met Mikes eyes and it was a million words exchanged with one look. We Represented the Province at the Canadian Championship with mixed results but that one moment that ended over 30 years of effort and heartbreak was swept away. If my story wins i will take that team and the most important people to us , our wives to the Brier and wear our Manitoba team Jackets with pride as we cheer on the curlers. Thank you curlers, and i hope you found our journey interesting and inspirational. Its never to late !!
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