The marvellous Mr M!

A number of years ago now, the first day of school that September brought with it a cherubic yet devilish grin lighting up the face of one Jay Malandrino, a new hire in the English department at Central. As our first chat proceeded, there was a voice inside me that said this one was somebody to take note of. As the years progressed, that first encounter blossomed into a friendship of epic proportions, the moments we shared filled with more mischievous grins punctuated by raucous belly laughs, and deep ties were forged. 

He's an easy one to like, that JayMal.

Scrub forward in that movie and we find ourselves at a troubling point where glitches on the hardware necessitated the replacement of a vital organ, and the emotions were as raw as you can imagine. At 46 years young, my buddy was sliced from collar to navel and his faulty ticker was replaced with one that until recently, was serving its owner steadfast and true. 

Jay Malandrino is a limited edition!

Quick of mind, hilariously witty, gentle souled, and loyal to a fault, he's just the kind of dude every guy could one wish for as a shoulder to bear the burdens of Life with, and the memories we jointly created while colleagues at ol' BCC are treasured and timeless. He doesn't know it ... until now ... that I would occasionally steal a moment or three to stand outside his classroom and giggle at the amazing way he would interact with his students. He was much beloved in those years, was Mr M, and his students were never shy about letting him know. Eventually the stars aligned so that Ron and I could welcome Jay into our Sr Boys Rugby family, an addition that took an already wondrous happening over the top into the realm of legends, a triumvirate of equally minded type A's, each bringing his own flair, sharing a symbiotic bond that produced accomplishments of epic proportions ... and that's saying something for our program!

Like all good things, the sands of time shifted, and Jay was traded away to cross town rival Innisdale, and although we stayed in touch as much as schedules allowed, it definitely dulled the shine that once was. True to form, Jay quickly made an impact at his new "home", and combining his passion for coaching with his new found love of all things ASD, the lure
of Mr M spreading even further as hoards of new students took a shine to his light, like so many moths.

It would take a long time to list all of the legendary shenanigans we shared, so suffice it to say that he was a true mate, a dude's dude, and as it would turn out, a fantastic husband and dad. What's not to like about a life that plays out that way?

All of that's why the news of his health failing hit so many of us like the proverbial wrecking ball. I knew that he had some issues with his ticker, having multiple procedures aimed at sorting out some electrical issues, but he shared with Ron and I on the sidelines of this past spring's OFSAA rugby, a fitting locale, that he would eventually require a transplant, his heart was slowly giving up. A whirlwind of medical mechanisms sprung into action and the news spread though the Central grapevine that the deed was done, Jay had come through the momentous surgery and was stable, although anticipated complications meant that he still had some mountain left to climb. 

Months later, the three Caballeros were back together, but these minutes were different in a significant manner, the surroundings downtown TO's Hennick Bridgeport Hospital, one of Canada's premiere complex care and rehabilitation facilities. Our reunion was filled with smiles and hugs, words of appreciation and gratitude, laughs, some scrumptious Chinese nibbles, plus a tour of the now defunct Don Jail. What's not to cherish about an afternoon like that? 

As I write this, Jay is mentally preparing for his escape ... he is scheduled to be released into the warm embrace of his beloved wife Robin, and the group hug of three adoring boys, each the apple of his eye. He still has some work to do, the complications of his surgery slowly waning, but he'll be home with his peeps and the worst of his ordeal should be in his rear view. 

Here's to you Jay! I love you like a brother!