If you believe the line from my wife’s favourite movie the Wizard of Oz, “You don’t judge a person by how much she/he loves, but by how much they are loved,” then you must know Noah and the entire Dugas family have been judged very favourably.
However, the tremendous wealth of love and support from the local, national and international hockey community, as well as family, friends, relatives, classmates, and concerned citizens should be no surprise if you know Noah and his family legacy.
There is a long lineage of kindness, humility, caring, and a tremendous work ethic….the same one Noah regularly takes to the ice! Chances are you have met Noah’s dad Dave and his uncle Kevin, as they are the owners of the very successful East Side Mario’s franchise in North Bay, ON.
See related: A groundswell of support continues for local hockey player
They are the hard-working guys that are usually endlessly circling the restaurant and helping their staff, always taking the time to meet and greet you when you arrive. Their reach extends well into our community, as they are always willing to support and to offer assistance to others. As well, both are heavily involved in our local sports community as coaches, mentors and hockey parents…and that is where many have come to know Noah.
Noah has embraced the attributes that have been handed to him by his entire family in the form of a tremendous work ethic, humbleness, kindness, generosity, and a keen desire to care and to share with others. Anyone who has ever coached, taught, or who has met Noah and his younger sibling Georgia will immediately be drawn to their warm, caring, and unassuming spirit. However, you should know, just like their parents, and extended family, there is an underlying fierce, competitive disposition, and a strong desire to win….just never at the expense of sacrificing one ounce of integrity.
When you look past the many fundraising efforts and all of the support that is being generated for Noah and his family, I believe there are many lessons that we can learn. I am confident these lessons will not be forgotten long after the fundraising efforts have ended and Noah is back in Restoule at his grandparents' on beautiful Lake Restoule spending his summer holidays frolicking with his relatives and hockey pals. As you have likely noted by some of the images that have been posted, Noah was handed his grandfather's love of fishing and outdoor life.
The first lesson we can learn from Noah and his family is that when you consistently do good things for others and with others, good things will happen in return.
The second lesson we can learn is that when you live your life with kindness, humility, and a passion for what you do, people will notice.
The third lesson comes from something I used to teach my students in the Faculty of Education and that is having a deep-set "desire to inspire" must be what guides you as an educator. In the case of Noah and his family their desire to inspire others without expecting anything in return has taught us that when you need inspiration back at some point in your life, it comes to you without asking. Noah and his family have re-inspired me at a time in my life when I could use it.
I have been fortunate to have a "backstage" pass into the life of Noah Dugas and the entire Dugas clan as they are my wife’s first cousins. My daughters have been blessed to have such wonderful relatives and role models to hang out with during the summer months and many holidays. Thank-you Noah and family for inspiring us as a community and as a country.
With a ton of Love and Support,
Dr. Rob Graham
