Throughout his wild (and troubled) life, NHL bad boy Bob Probert did things his own way, so it makes perfect sense when the casket he was to be buried in showed up via, shall we say, rather unconventional means. Via a Reuters report:
The casket with the remains of Bob Probert, former NHL hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, arrives on a motorcycle side car driven by George Winney for Proberts funeral service at the Christian Fellowship Church in Windsor, Ontario July 9, 2010. Probert died Monday at age 45 after suffering chest pains while boating with his family.
NHL dignitaries who came to Probert’s funeral tat Windsor Christian Fellowship church o pay their respects included Colin Campbell, Dino Ciccarelli, Joe Kocur, Darren McCarty, Doug Gilmour, Tie Domi, Paul Ysebaert, Tony Amonte, Wayne Presley, Kyle Calder, Sheldon Kennedy, Mike Krushelyski, Dave Lewis, John Ogrodnick, Mickey Redmond, Brad McCrimmon and Darren Bank, but it was Steve Yzerman’s eulogy that I am sure deeply touched everyone in attendance. Some excerpts from Yzerman’s tribute to his longtime friend (via RedWings.com):
“He was an intelligent, street-wise person who was always putting everyone at ease with a good joke, or a friendly barb,” Yzerman said. “He made the game fun. Whether it was stopping in the middle of a fight to adjust his helmet and give Gerard (Gallant) and I a wink to let us know everything was OK, or to card games in the wee hours of the morning before a playoff game, which Mr. and Mrs. (Ilitch), I’m sure, don’t care to hear about.”
“Whether it was a young hockey fan, a sick child, an employee at Joe Louis Arena, your wife, your own daughter, your son, Bob always took the time to say hello and engage you in friendly conversation, and make you all feel at ease,” Yzerman said. “People meeting him for the first time always walked away, saying, ‘Wow, what a great guy.’ He endeared himself to all of us.”
Despite his problems with drugs and alcohol, it certainly appears that Probert was dearly loved by his family, friends and colleagues, and in the end, that should be what is most remembered about the man who died far too soon.
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Probert’s Coffin/Remains Arrive Offsides [Bob's Blitz]
Family, friends remember Bob Probert [Official Site of Detroit Red Wings]
