In Memory of
Grant Turner

I just wanted to start off by letting you all know, the night that our sweet Grant was found, Sunday, February 8, he was not alone.  I worried SO much about him being out there alone and cold.  But a very, good, good person and dear friend was with Grant.  She promised she would be there with Grant and be with him.  She kept her promise and poured her whole heart and soul into it.  Grant and I are forever grateful!! Thank you, Marsha.

This day is about Grant and his life.  And as Dana so perfectly put it, "Anyone who knew Grant knows that his short life may have lacked in quantity but it was exceptional in quality.  Thus, we cannot mourn the life that was lost but celebrate the life that was lived."  Thank you Dana.  Celebrate the beautiful person that Grant was, all his accomplishments, all is adventures, his family, his friends and how his heart, his soul, his spirit touched each and every one of us. His devotion, his thoughtfullness, his caring was amazing.  It didn't matter if you knew Grant his whole life, 20 years, 5 years, 2 years, 1 month, 1 day or even a complete stranger, Grant would always stop whatever he was doing to lend a helping hand.  He is truly, one in a million, one in a trillion.

Grant certainly made me laugh and smile--made us laugh and smile, and boy, did he make me laugh!! He still makes me laugh and smile, and I know I will forever laugh and smile when I think of Grant and I hope you will too, because he is a very REAL part of all our lives and he wants us to laugh and smile and talk about all the fun times we had and shared.  So, go onto Grant's website, read all the heartfelt stories, add new stories and memories and cherish those thoughts and memories.

People, like Grant, don't realize the positive impact they have on people's lives.  That's one of the many things that made him SO VERY special.  He always wanted Little Grant, Connor, Jessica and myself close to him.  He always wanted to be together.  It didn't matter where we were going or what we were doing.  Be it going to the grocery store, to the hockey arena, the bank, the gas station, the mailbox, he even took us on his dump runs.  He would bring Grant and Connor and our dog athena to work with him sometimes.  Before we got married, his dog Socrates went everywhere with him, always to work and even to our wedding.

We could not have asked for a better, more devoted, caring, loving, unselfish father or husband and we spent a lifetime of happiness together.  A love and happiness that some people never find or experience in their whole lives.  Grant, you are the most amazing person I have ever known.  Thank you for showing me how to love and Thank You for loving me, Grant, Connor and Jessica.

People would always say we were so lucky to have found each other and Grant would always reply back, "It was no luck that I found Cindy, I searched high and low, climbed mountains and hills to find her, I am the happiest guy in the world.  You know, our lives (Grant and mine) have always been inter-twined, we have always been very close to each other without even knowing it.  We were both born in Dorval, lived in Dorval, he literally lived right across the tracks .  Although, my Dad's work took us to the States for a few years, I was back in Dorval by the age of 7.  Grant went to the High School right beside my house.  I played soccer on his soccer field, we went to the same arena, same shopping center, same movie theater, same restaurants, same everywhere.  He even worked for my Dad for awhile (whom he had never met, as my Dad was the boss, boss, boss).  We didn't meet until we both lived in Toronto back in '93.  But we both moved to Toronto at about the same time.  He hitched hiked here and stayed with his sister Jacke, while I moved with my family.  It was back around 1978-1979.

After several attempts of Grant asking me out--he was very persistent.  I agreed to go water-skiing--go figure--not dinner, not a movie not even cocktails--but water-skiing.  Needless, to say, from that moment on, I knew that Grant was special.  But, I suppose, my whole life I had known that, really, we were always SO close to each other and it was just meant to be from the moment we were born.  So, I know that Grant is here, right now, and BELIEVE me, I know, and he will always be right here with us and watching over us.

Grant was always full of adventure and fun.  From water-skiing and snow-skiing--he was amazing at both, to canoeing, boating, snorkeling, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, white water rafting, tubing, snow tubing, bungi jumping, skydiving, parasailing, car racing and motorcycle racing.  He did it all--and the stories, I loved listening to his stories.  The only other thing he wanted to do, well I'm sure there were more, but this one was a MUST.--Swimming with the sharks!!!  Mr. Adventure.  I suppose that's where he got his nickname from and alot of you, especially, in the last few years have tried to come up with the perfect nickname for Grant.  We would chuckle, Grant and I, at all the attempted nicknames, and Grant said that one day I will tell them my nickname---Well, here it is--"INDY" as in Indiana Jones!!!! That one's for you Boomer!!!!
Grant was so many thing to so many people.  To some he was Wee Willy or Pollution, to some he was Grantster, to others he was Barthead, SpongeBob or Stewie.  And still, to some he was Joe Amish of Juan Valdez and even Mexican Bandito.  But to all, he was Grant, Dad, Husband, Son, Brother, Uncle, Cousin, Friend and Inspiration.  That fun-loving guy with the enormous heart, who loved life, his friends and above all his family.

Grant was certainly never shy about letting you know what he thought about you or his opinions, whether you liked it or not.
And never shy about standing up for himself, his family and his beliefs.
Grant was never shy about his flashy clothes and certainly never worried about co-ordinating them.
And never shy about giving a compliment or letting you know just how pretty you looked.
Grant was never shy about giving advice and never shy about taking advice.
He certainly had some good advice.  Although, he had alot, these were some of his favourites:
- Rightie tightie, leftie loosie.
- Always say what you mean and mean what you say.
- Always, always stand up for yourself, your family and your beliefs.
- Never, ever under any circumstance throw the 1st punch, ALWAYS finish it.
And one of my favourites, made me laugh every time,
- Be nice to ALL the girls, even the one's YOU don't think are that good-looking, BECAUSE they have REALLY, REALLY, good-looking girlfriends.

Everyone can learn something from Grant, something different for every single person.  So, let's honour Grant and everything he so willingly gave to us.  He truly showed us how to love and appreciate each other, life and all those special moments, because there are NO guarantees in life, ONLY ONE.  Hold on to what Grant gave us and keep it close to our hearts.  Keep that SMILE on Grant's face.  let him be as proud of us as we are of him.  Thank You Grant for letting us all share our lives with you.  You will certainly be missed.

Rest easy, my love, you are now safe, warm and will never, ever be alone again.  I promise you.

We love you,
Cindy, Grant, Connor and Jessica XOXOXOXOXOXOX