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From YouTube: APRIL 4 2023 Statements Ian Paton
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
4th Session
42nd Parliament
A
Member
for
Delta
South.
Thank
you.
Honorable
speaker,
I
rise
today
to
honor
Thomas
William
Hayden,
a
member
of
my
Delta
South
constituency,
who
passed
away
at
the
age
of
36
after
courageous
battle
with
pancreatic
cancer.
He
was
honored
just
a
few
weeks
ago
with
the
Fallen
Firefighters
Memorial
and
I
want
to
continue
to
honor
his
legacy
as
he
was
an
outstanding
member
of
my
community.
A
Tom
was
originally
from
Saskatchewan
from
a
farming
family
who
farmed
over
ten
thousand
acres
of
mixed
grains
and
canola
Tom
moved
to
Ladner
as
a
kid,
but
would
return
to
the
love
of
his
family
farm
in
Saskatchewan,
almost
every
fall
to
help
with
the
Harvest
growing
up
in
Ladner
he
developed
a
keen
love
of
the
outdoors.
He
loved
fishing
boating,
camping
hunting
and
playing
sports.
As
a
kid
he
started
playing
lacrosse
with
our
local
Delta,
Lacrosse
Club
and
quickly
started
to
excel.
At
that
sport.
A
He
made
his
way
up
through
the
ranks
of
Delta
lacrosse
and
became
a
captain
of
the
Delta
Junior,
a
Islanders
lacrosse
team
at
age
of
18..
After
graduating
junior
he
got
drafted
by
the
Burnaby
Lakers
she
and
played
in
the
western
Lacrosse
Association.
He
then
came
back
to
Ladner
and
played
for
the
latter
Pioneers
helping
the
team
win.
The
national
title
and
the
prestigious
Presidents
Cup
in
2004.
Tom
continued
to
be
part
of
the
lacrosse
Community.
A
During
his
20-year
Legacy
to
the
sport
coaching,
his
son
Eric,
and
later
becoming
a
coach
with
the
pioneers
until
his
illness,
a
journeyman
welder
by
trade.
He
joined
our
esteemed
Delta,
firefighters,
local
1763
and
served
our
community
bravely
he
loved
being
a
firefighter
and
quickly
earned
the
respect
of
his
peers.
Tomer
was
a
good
firefighter
and
was
eager
to
learn
and
share
his
knowledge
with
other
probationers
on
the
job.
Tom
was
a
true
leader.
Tom
was
also
a
family
man.
He
met
the
love
of
his
life.
A
Roberta
quickly
fell
in
love
and
together
they
created
a
beautiful
family
with
three
kids
Eric
Isabel
and
Luke.
On
a
personal
note,
as
a
strong
strapping
teenager
I,
hired
Tom
to
work
on
my
farm
on
several
occasions,
and
man
could
that
boy
throw
hay
bales
as
a
tribute
from
France,
an
annual
Memorial
award
has
been
created
that
reflects
his
career
as
a
firefighter.
It
comes
with
a
2500
scholarship
that
is
presented
to
a
Delta
lacrosse
player,
who
demonstrates
some
of
Tom's
wonderful
qualities.
I
had
the
absolute
privilege
of
watching
him
grow
into
a
man.