I first met Ken years ago at dinner with Sharon and colleagues. He must have been completely bored with the shop talk, but I couldn't really tell. In fact, years later, he remembered details I had long forgotten. This was part of his personality: attentive to the people around him.
I got to know Ken better during his cancer journey as we would meet between appointments for chats, coffee and brief updates. He was always more interested in talking about the people around him than about himself. We compared notes on camping and vacations, about nothing and everything, a distraction from the purpose of the hospital visit.
It was a bit tough to try to help him as Ken was always self sufficient. For example, when discharged after a procedure, I started on my way to go find him and take him to his next destination by wheelchair, but caught up with him after he had crossed the street on foot. While at the hospital, transportation became a bit of a theme: I recall one occasion when we would have met to say Hi! but I was on vacation. Ken could only chuckle when I suggested to pick up a wheelchair and meet me in St-John's, NL. Later, when walking became more difficult, Ken started using a cane he borrowed from a neighbor - a useful but kind of boring aluminum thing. I brought him a tapered walking stick that had been abandoned on the subway. Sharon suggested Ken might need to upgrade his wardrobe when taking the thing on the road. We all had a good laugh again
This journey has come to an end but we carry these memories with us. Thank you for touching our lives in so many positive ways.