Green Team Hawaii Shirt

Green Team Hawaii Shirt

This green shirt was Gord's number 1 favorite shirt.Last summer is full of memories of Gord wearing this shirt. 

One morning, at the breakfast table two weeks after Gord died, Danny piped up at said enthusiastically, " I love Dad's green Team Hawaii shirt."

Impulsively I responded with," Well Danny, we will find that shirt then, and it can go on your wall or in your closet, and when you are big enough, one day you can wear it."

A grin came over his face.

I looked over at mom and she had a disturbed look on her face, she pulled me aside and said she had been through all of Gord's clothing and didn't recall seeing this memorable shirt. I felt my face turn white, a rush of shock came over me again. I felt obsessive compulsive to find this shirt. I went through my mind other possibilities...maybe in a bag,...in the car....in the tent trailer. Danny lost his dad and he wants that shirt then I have to find it. I was losing my mind...

After an hour of searching....it came to me....Was he wearing it the night of....

For Danny, I went there...I searched my memory...what was he wearing the night he went to cross fit. The night he died right in front of me. Ofcourse, he was wearing his favorite shirt. 

Another devastation, another loss.

Then...it started to occur to us. We have the internet...we have eBay.

My dad was on it. It didn't take long for us to realize our search was hitting a dead end. The shirt was discontinued. But we persisted. No luck.

The next time my brother Mike was in town, he expressed that his favorite shirt of Gords was the team Hawaii shirt and he was wondering if I would consider giving it to him. I shared Danny's story with him. Mike was heart broken. He had a determination about him. He searched and searched online but hit the same dead end we did.

Today, I picked up the mail. There was a package.

Both boys were jumping with tears welling up. Noah said" Gord's shirt, Gord's shirt." They couldn't put in on fast enough. 

Danny said, " I feel Dad, it's like he's really here" 

I felt a big hug when I put it on. It was a celebratory moment. 

And now we will have these shirts and the memories that came with them forever.

I called Mike and asked him how he did it. 

He tried to track down the store in Hawaii, they couldn't find any. He told a story to a friend and she said she knew a way it could be custom made. Mike was on it. It took three weeks to get the design just right.

My gratitude towards Mike is beyond words.