While many a Canuck fan experienced heart palpitations during the team's recent run to the Stanley Cup finals, a man who was close to the action was dealing with a real heart condition.
New Westminster resident John Ashbridge recently returned home after an 11-day stay in the hospital, where he underwent heart surgery. Well-known for his role in MCing local events, Ashbridge is also the longtime voice of the Vancouver Canucks at their home games, having done the public address duties for more than two decades.
"I had a couple of heart valves replaced," he told The Record. "It was a congenital thing."
Ashbridge provided an update to his health saga on pugetsoundradio.com. He noted that what should have been a single, fivehour surgery to replace two worn-out heart valves (mitral and aortic) turned into a longer hospital stay.
"Instead the job needed three separate surgeries conducted over the course of 20 hours ... one to replace the old valves, then two more to twice reopen my chest to track down and staunch some postsurgical internal bleeding," he wrote.
Prior to his surgery, Ashbridge had suggested to the Vancouver Canucks and Vancouver Giants that he split public address duties with colleagues.
Ashbridge, 65, said it's time to scale back some of his work responsibilities.
Instead of having to take vacations in June, July or August - the hockey offseason - he said he'll now be able to take them at a time that's convenient for him and his partner, Yvonne.
Ashbridge's voice is a well-known presence at Canucks and Giants games, but he's also MCed many local events and served on city committees.
"I am still involved," he said. "I want to be involved. This gives me a bit more time."
The Vancouver Canucks recently announced that Ashbridge will be sharing public address announcing duties with veteran announcer Al Murdoch for games at Rogers Arena for the 2011/12 season.
Ashbridge has been the Canucks public address announcer since 1987.
"During his tenure with the Canucks, Ashbridge has worked during two Stanley Cup Final appearances, travelled with the team to Japan, provided public address announcing duties for the 1998 NHL All-Star Game and acted as PA announcer for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at Canada Hockey Place," said a Vancouver Canucks press release. "On Feb.
1, 2002, during the 52nd NHL All-Star weekend, Ashbridge was honoured for his long-standing tenure with the Canucks and Canucks Alumni when he was presented with the NHL Alumni "7th Man Award." The "7th Man Award" recognizes a member of the NHL family who has contributed behind the scenes for a significant period of time."
CLASS OF '91
The Class of '91 at New Westminster Secondary School is on the hunt for alumni.
Tickets are still available for the class's 20-year reunion, which is being held on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Gino's Restaurant.
More information is available at www.nwss grad91.ca. The website includes a list of grads who have confirmed their attendance, missing grads, a memorial of those who have passed away and information about the event.
CELEBRATION
Douglas College has good reason to celebrate - and that's just what it did last week.
The college recently celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated concourse.
"Over the summer, the concourse underwent updates to make it more engaging to students.
Students said they wanted a more student-centred, friendly, comfortable place to study and spend time outside of class, and Douglas responded," said an email from the college.
"Improvements include a climate-controlled lounge, stage, new flooring, comfortable chairs, work stations (which include large LCD flat monitors), planters and a HD video screen."
Douglas College also celebrated its win of a national award for internationalization. During the Sept. 22 event, the college was presented with the inaugural Internationalization Excellence Award from the Association of Canadian Community Colleges.
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