When the end came for Pat Burns on Friday, it was a tragic one for him, and everyone who knew him. Of all the terrible options he could select when he was stricken with cancer for the third time, around December of 2008, not going through treatment initially, was what he wanted, after having gone through cancer therapy for both the colon, and the liver as well. This time, it was lung cancer.
I was in Tampa Bay when I was told by Pat Burns of his condition. It was on my annual winter vacation, and I scheduled most of my break time and destinations around sporting events, while working as a talk show host for the Fan 590 radio in Toronto. I chose to do so, in order to have stories, interviews and inside information, to present to the listeners. On this particular occasion, I was sitting in the media room of the St.Pete Times Forum, in Tampa, attending a Lightning game with my friend Jim Devellano, Red Wings Executive Vice-President, who scouts the Tampa Bay games for Detroit, while spending the winter in Sarasota, Florida.
Since his first battle with the disease, Burns would also spend his winters in Florida, where many high profile hockey professionals have residences. Much like Jim Devellano, the former coach of the Habs, Leafs, Bruins, and Devils, was scouting for New Jersey , who he led to a Stanley Cup championship in 2003. It was not unusual, to see Scotty Bowman also in attendance at the Lightning games. So in a small press box area, there were some of the very best and smartest hockey people in the history of the game.
On this particular occasion, Jim and I sat down with Burns after we saw him alone at one of the tables. After we got through the initial hello’s, Pat began to talk in a very calm and matter of fact manner, about how his cancer had returned, and that it was now in his lungs. He told us that he had no desire to go through the treatments again, as he described from his experience, that the medicine was worse than the disease. He specified, without going into details, that routines like shaving became very difficult to do, as a result of his treatments. At that time, Burns told us that he was feeling fine, and that he would prefer to just let nature take its course. It was the way that he said it, in a matter of fact manner, with no emotion in his voice or in his facial expression, that really resonated with me. He seemed, at least on the outside, to be totally at ease with his choice and his fate. I was amazed that anyone under such adverse circumstances, could seem to be so calm, cool, and composed in this kind of scenario.
As an illustration of Burns brave demeanor, once we had concluded discussing his gut wrenching reality, we began talking about hockey. He seemed so unaffected by everything, it was as though we were just talking about the weather. I could never imagine that anyone could maintain their composure and so easily switch the topic of conversation, from a probable terminal illness, to a comparatively simple subject like scouting hockey teams and individual players.
Remarkably, the three time winner of NHL coach of the year honors, had not lost his focus or ability to concentrate after all of this trauma. He could still readily answer any and every question on anything related to the National Hockey League, and he was up to date on everyone and everything. If he hadn’t told us about his illness, we would have had no idea that he had a worst case condition, to burden him for as long as he remained alive.
During the game, he easily mingled with all the other hockey people in the press box, and was completely concentrated on the ice surface, as well as the out of town matches that were on the TV monitors. He managed to keep track of just about every game that was within eyesight, and didn’t hesitate to comment on what he was observing, and share his thoughts with everyone in the immediate vicinity.
I always had a positive rapport with Pat, going back to his time in Toronto, where I was on the air as the ultimate Leafs fan, at a time when it was considered unacceptable to be homer as a journalist. No one else in the sports media was doing that back then, or getting into heated on-air verbal battles with callers, primarily about the Leafs and captain Wendel Clark, as I frequently did at that time. Being a homer now is quite common in the sports media. In fact, it’s not very easy to find completely objective sports journalists these days. My outrageously biased and controversial style, probably helped to cement my positive relationship with him, because I was so different, and the only outspoken media supporter of his Leafs.
That December of 2008, was the last time I saw Pat Burns in person, although Jimmy “D” kept up with him and would occasionally see him in Florida, and he would let me know what was happening. I did leave Pat a voice mail about a year later to wish him well, when I learned that his condition was beginning to wear him down quite a bit.
I will always recall, and be in awe, as to how he still maintained a sense of humor through the most horrific of circumstances, telling Devellano and I at that time, how a certain Leafs player was upset with his presence on the 4th line, and asking Burns why he was positioned there ? The very bright Burns barked back that he was there, because he didn’t have a 5th line.
Rest in peace Pat. Thanks for the respect and kindness you always showed me. I very much appreciated the insightful information you passed along. You will be missed by hockey fans everywhere. I am one of the hundreds of thousands among them, who is very grateful and proud to say that I knew you.