Grey Cup brings people together from across Canada
CFL championship transcends the game itself, writes Kevin Light
The Canadian Football League has always held a special spot in my family.
My father, Terry Light, was an Edmonton Eskimos fan. Growing up, he told me stories of how he would travel from Leduc, Alta., to Commonwealth Stadium to watch the games.
In 1986, the family moved from Vancouver to Victoria, and my dad bought B.C. Lions season tickets. We would watch and cheer together, hoping for Lions' victories.
This April, everything changed. He was diagnosed with ALS and frontal lobe dementia and he died on Oct. 31.
He's been gone for just over three weeks, but over a lifetime he taught me how to be brave and strong when faced with fear and anxiety.
With that message in my heart, I hope to show a story of how the CFL's championship game can bring people together from across Canada, regardless of who they are cheering for.
Ottawa fans travel
A group of Ottawa Redblacks fans travelled to Calgary to watch their team play for the title. The Algonquin Loggersports Team cut a Redblacks wood cookie from a log for every touchdown Ottawa scored.
Grey Cup veterans ... and rookies
Graham Sucha has been to 10 Grey Cups, and believes nothing unites Canada more than the CFL's biggest game. Ryan Rollier grew up a fan watching with his dad, and cherished the moments of learning the game.
Meanwhile, Malcolm began watching football for the first time just this year. Having never watched before, he fell in love with the game this season and brought his son Malcolm Jr. to the Grey Cup.
Born in 1955, Darcy Brubaker walked to every game the Calgary Stampeders played when he was growing up. He got to watch his childhood team win a Grey Cup with his son, Trevor.
Stampeders celebrate the title with their families
It took a few years of missed opportunities, but Bo Levi Mitchell landed back on top of the CFL throne, and got to share the moment with his daughter Ele.
As did Bakari Grant, with his daughter Khari, son Bakari Jr., and wife Erin. Coming from California to the CFL, Grant's says all the children know is Canada.
