I first met Norm back when he and Mandy first started dating. He brought us some cheesecake from our favourite greenhouse in Ontario, I didn’t know much about him at the time, but he was on my good side from there on out. This was just a small sliver of what the future held for us and our little family. Throughout the years, Norm would always include me on silly trips to Asian Grocery stores, one time he even made the mistake of going to T&T around the same time as Chinese New Year, he knew never to do that again, and the Costco Business Centre which he was so fascinated about. As someone who never ventured out much or tried new food, he opened many doors for me. I remember when I first found out he would drive hours away just to go to a certain restaurant I thought it was silly, and then I found out he would do anything, for anyone at any time and it became the “Norm” for us. Norm always made sure I was safe and taken care of, he came into my life and placed himself as a father figure role without a second thought. Norm never knew this, but it was one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
Our relationship grew fonder over time, my favourite memory with him was driving across Canada, he said he would never do it again, but I know he always wanted to. We had sessions of guessing how far away a farmhouse was in Saskatchewan because there was nothing else to see there or when we would always laugh at Canola oil because there were endless amounts of Canola fields. That experience made us closer than ever before, and I would do it over a million times if I could. Norm would ensure that I put my best foot forward and always “Make the world work for me.” He saw potential in me that I failed to see before, and I hope to one day teach my children what he taught me. There are not enough words to describe how amazing Norm truly is or how much he impacted everyone he met, but I know I will take the words of wisdom and silly Dad jokes with me for the rest of my life, and that getting the chance to be so close to him is something for which I am so grateful for, forever wasn’t long enough.
~Vallie Reed