Happy Birthday Pops!

A personal blog this week as my family celebrates my dad's 100th birthday. John MacLeod Dooley was born Nov 1 1925. I say that Nov 1 2025 IS  his 100th birthday, not "would have been" as he passed away in 1996. This is a day to celebrate, reflect, and remember. 

I write this blog to share a part of my journey, a pivot point one would say, but I also want to share this thoughtful memory with my brothers John, Steve, and Pat as well as the memories of my late sister Mary and brother Kevin. This blog involves part of my journey but my siblings all have similar moments they shared with a brilliant man we called Pops. Most of the moments brought with them a laugh or a smile, and some moments were very sad. Actually my dad was proud to be called Pops because his father had been.  A high school graduate at 16, and the youngest Chartered Accountant in Ontario at the time, my dad had a journey filled with achievement, success, and trauma and tragedy. We are all better people because of he and mom. Ironically we all have grandchildren of our own now and we are all called Pops. We are all honoured to be so called. What better tribute.

On Easter Sunday in April of 1996, Joy and our two kids, 5 year old Nicole and 1 year old Daniel, visited my dad's apartment in Waterloo for a traditional turkey dinner. People who have read chapter 1 of A Hero's Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp know that my mother had passed away on August 30 1994, so dad was on his own after 44 years of marriage.  Still same witty sense of humour, yet still aching for the loss.

I was excited that day as I was primed and ready the following week to run the famed Boston Marathon. I had spent the better part of 15 years running marathons, but this was Boston. When training, I remember a couple of years at Olympia week 9  running the hilly miles of Limberlost Rd. from the camp to Hwy 60 and back, a distance of 28 kms. Before Sunday brunch. After a Saturday night in the coach's lounge. Feels crazy to even write this now,  but I couldn't believe I would be toeing the line in the greatest race in the world. 

I would find out how myopic and trivial that earthly goal was.

I don't remember much of the details of that Easter  Sunday dinner, and I am glad that we took this picture of Nicole with her beloved Pops.

It was the last picture taken of my dad.

A group of us travelled to Boston the following week and the marathon was an experience of a lifetime. I dealt with the famed 'Heartbreak Hill" I had read about for years and crossing the finish line  in downtown Boston was electric. That night the nine of us went out for dinner and good friend Paul Morrison presented me with a Boston Marathon poster for having the best result of the group. Nowhere near the best time, he felt my effort was worthy of recognition. Needless to say, I was on top of the world. Me? Running the Boston Marathon ? That poster still resides in our home in Burlington.

How fleeting a moment, and a lesson I told my students for the rest of my career. Enjoy the moment. 

The same Paul Morrison woke me the next morning  to tell me that Joy was on the phone. Joy  told me that my dad had passed away while I was running. She could have phoned me the night before but wanted  me to enjoy what I had just accomplished. The shock of that moment was overwhelming. How can April 15 1996 be the  best day ever and then  turn into  the worst day ever?

Life brings us achievements but also brings us challenges.. 

I guess that's the connection of this blog to Olympia and the Hero's Journey lesson taught us by Dave Grace. The people I interviewed for the book shared of their journeys and many had inherent lessons that brought their journeys to life and other people can learn from. Lessons of taking the bat off the shoulder and lessons of overcoming loss through the power of community. Joy and my family and extended family got me through some tough days, months and years. 

To quote Nan from the tribute page in the book, "Never let on but its up you're going." The journey through life will bring joys and hardships and All we can do is keep going. Maybe the loss of my dad made me a better parent or teacher somehow, I don't know. The loss of anyone's dad is life-changing but as I write this many years later his memory lives on in how I am as a father to my own two beautiful kids.  I knew my responsibilities as a parent but man did things change when Mia entered our lives. 

 As I write this I am now called Pops and beautiful Mia has changed my world. The achievements and challenges I've dealt with in my life are fleeting memories now but they have made me who I am today. I hope this 'wisdom'  gives me the capability to help Mia in her journey any way I can. Mia has taught us all a lot about life and how you can love someone so deeply. My daughter Nicole, whose eyes I see in Mia, is as great a mother as I knew she would be, being raised by a woman like Joy. She is the best version of herself and an inspiration to watch every day. Mia is surrounded by love.

I sort of look at this picture that Nicole took a while ago as a parallel to the picture of her with Pops when she was five. Do I feel loved after all that the journey has brought me? Just look at those eyes. She's got me hooked.

Happy 100th Dad.

The Summer of 2026 is open for business. A camp that builds lives. A week that builds memories. 

Have an idea or direction for a blog entry? Email me at coachdools71@gmail.com and lets talk possibilities. 

A Hero’s Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp chronicles the people that make up the history of Olympia, but it does far more than that. It serves as an inspirational guidebook for readers to become the hero of their own path. In order to do this the book examines the history of the land on which the camp has been built, from its indigenous origins to the European settlement process of the 1800’s. and the use of the land by the Royal Norwegian Air Force during WWll. The book is built on a collection of stories related to mentorship, sports psychology, and community building. This book honours the 50-year history of the camp while giving us all a window into seeing a deeper level of understanding of the world and our place in it.

Books Available at: 

-  Tuck and Pro at Olympia ( ask about the coach's deal)

 - Amazon and Indigo.ca

-  Indigo, Burlington Brant Street location.

- The Different Drummer Book Store on Locust Street in Burlington\

- Cedar Canoe Books on Main St in Huntsville

- Etransfer me $30 and I'll drive it to your house ! 

- available online at aherosjourney.ca

- audiobook version is available at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes 

If you would like us to come to your town for a book event or get copies into your favourite bookstore , email me at coachdools71@gmail.com. We travel well.