Jack & Me – back in the day
I think we all who saw and heard Jack Layton reveal that he was dealing with another form of Cancer last month, knew from the way he looked and from the way he sounded that he wasn’t going to make it. The cancer mask that so many of us have seen before, likely in the final days of our own loved ones dying from the disease – had set into his facial muscle, trumping the ruddy complexion, , piercing blew eyes and slightly receding hairline that defined him physically in this video watch?v=ioX7L2EaQXA&feature=player_detailpage
This was vintage Jack circa-1997. I was substitute hosting an episode of Ralph Benmergui’s live studio TV talk show on CBC’s Newsworld. The show was exploring and examining the Promise Keepers Men’s Movement. I remember turning into the studio audience to see Jack Layton as co-founder of the White Ribbon Campaign which is the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women. He quickly of course became part of the live cross country debate.
This was long before he became leader of the federal NDP and long before Cancer robbed HIM of his vitality.
Perhaps it was a premonition that I came across this video last night just about 7 hours before he died. I just wanted to pass it along today as another reminder of how healthy he was and looked back in the day – before the cancer mask took hold.
R.I.P. Jack