Speech

It is both a great honour and a very emotional privilege to stand here today and speak about my granddaughter Noel, the light of my life.
I’m getting up in years and my memory is not what it used to be so some of the timelines that I speak about might not be perfect.
One day, my son called me and told me he needed help. He had found himself alone with his tiny little baby girl who suddenly needed a safe and steady home. I didn’t hesitate for a second. I got in my car, drove to pick them up, and that was the moment Noel came into my life. From that day on, nothing was ever the same.
Noel spent much of her first years with us, learning to walk, babbling her first words, and becoming an all-around amazing little human being right under our roof. She filled our home with laughter, curiosity, and the kind of joy only a child can bring. When my son later went off to the University of Toronto, and met Mary, who would become such an important figure in Noel’s life, I continued to spend every possible moment with Noel.
Many weekends I would drive an hour and a half each way to bring her back to our home in the country. We made that trip countless times, but there’s one memory that never fades: along the route there was a bump in the road, and I would pick up speed just enough so that the car would lift ever so slightly, and Noel in her car seat would burst out laughing, squealing, “Do it again, Grandpa!” Of course, I always did. It became our little tradition, our secret thrill.
Her third birthday party was held at our house, and that place became her second home. It was there that she learned to rollerblade, ride a bicycle, and most importantly — steal my heart completely.
Life moved forward. Ron and Mary graduated from U of T, and then Mary went off to Cornell, which meant Noel spent less time with me. Soon after, the family moved to Hong Kong, where she would spend nearly 14 years. Though distance separated us, Noel and I still found ways to be close. Phone calls became our lifeline — ofttimes hours long. Many summers, she would return to Canada as an unaccompanied minor, and every visit felt like a gift. I will never forget one trip where the arrival doors at the airport opened and she came through holding hands with an attendant, broke free, ran down the ramp and threw herself into my arms much to the chagrin of the panicked attendant.
When my own life took a turn and I went through a breakup, Noel never disappeared. She was still there, coming on vacations, being that steady source of joy in my world.
And then came one of the more dramatic chapters. Noel, after finishing high school, was without a current visa in Hong Kong. Immigration authorities raided her workplace, and she was suddenly taken away to immigration prison. I was terribly worried — until I finally got a call from her. She told me she was fine, that she had already made herself at home, and had somehow become a favorite with both the prisoners and the guards. That was Noel — resilient, charming, and making friends wherever she went.
Eventually, I got the call that she was being put on a plane to Toronto. I rushed to Pearson Airport to pick her up. By that time, I had just finished building my home in the Algonquin Highlands, and Noel moved in just in time for Christmas. It was a magical time. She found a job nearby, and not long after, she met David.
From the first moment, I was impressed by David — his intelligence, his warmth, and most of all, the love he so clearly had for Noel. I did, however, give him the standard “grandfather warning.” I told him that if he ever hurt her, I would have him killed. Now, I don’t think he took me entirely seriously… but maybe it’s best to leave just a little doubt there. Fortunately, David never gave me any reason to test that promise. He has been nothing but devoted to Noel from the start.
As Noel grew older and began working in the city, our time together became less frequent. She didn’t need Grandpa’s constant love and guidance the way she once did, but our bond remained unshakable. When I heard the news that Noel and David had bought a condo together, I was overjoyed. Rebecca and I had the chance to meet them for dinner, to see their new home, and it was clear to me that this was a partnership built on love, respect, and true companionship.
And now, here we are. All those moments — from a baby in my arms at two months old, to a little girl laughing on country roads, to a teenager finding her strength in Hong Kong, to a young woman building her life — have led us to this day. Today, we celebrate Noel and David, two beautiful people whose love for each other shines as brightly as Noel’s laughter did on those long drives home.
Noel, you will forever be in my heart. And David, I want you to know that from the moment you came into her life, you also found your way into mine.
So let us raise our glasses to the newly married couple. May your life together be filled with joy, resilience, and the kind of love that makes even the bumpiest roads a source of laughter.
To Noel and David.