Tony Ryan

I want to remember that Theresa and I went with Jo-ann and Tony the first time they attended the Edmonton Folk Festival.In a matter of hours Tony was transformed from a newbie into one of those committed FolkFesters who would line up hours before the gates opened (like at 5:00 am “hours before”) in order to claim prime tarp real estate close to the bottom of the hill and the stage. I still remember Theresa and Tony strategizing about what they’d need to do just before dawn on Saturday morning in order to get the best spot possible (I was happy to delegate that task to them, I suspect Jo-ann felt the same way). There Tony was in our living room, clutching one of the CDs he had bought the day before at the festival. He was a portrait of fun and good humour – really enjoying talking about his first day at FolkFest and what the rest of the weekend would bring. His smile (he was displaying his mischievous version there) and his infectious laugh…unforgettable to this day. The “doctor” in him knew how crazy his planning might appear but he didn’t care. He was there to enjoy the moment, the experience; the rational, medical doctor side of his being would have to wait to re-emerge until he was back caring for those most fragile of newborns at University Hospital. He truly was someone who, by having him in your life, you would be the better for it.