Pierre Paquin
Pierre was born in the evening on a warm summer day; Pierre a respected namesake was a must if he was a boy, and Etienne is the French version of Steve, after his loving Uncle Steve Moylan we know he will now be visiting with.
As fast as his Father and Papa tried to get to town from a three hour bush road drive, Pierre came kicking his way into this world! Dryden Hospital never knew what was happening, as so many family and friends came to visit and meet this new life, a beautiful baby, our gift, we were so blessed.
Pierre Etienne Paquin is survived by his parents, Linda (Burns-Prouty) and Pierre J. Paquin, and brother Gilles Paquin; grandparents, Berniece and Ralph Prouty; Uncle David Burns-Prouty (Auntie Margot (Mugs), cousin Tori. Auntie Janice Prouty (Uncle Bryan Walsh) cousin Zak, Uncle Kevin Prouty Grandparents Ruby and Pierre A. Paquin, Auntie Nicole Sutherland (Uncle Malcolm) and cousins Colin and Graeme. Many, many, many Aunties, Uncles, Great Aunties, and Great Uncles, Cousins, and extended families; so many, so wonderful!
Pallbearers at Pierre’s celebration of life were some of his most cherished friends, his brother Gilles, Jon Solomon, Kevin Solomon, Darren Brown, Brian Caul, Josh Jonasson, and Kevin Prouty. The many Honorary Pallbearers were also very important best friends (male and female) and truly there could have been 100’s.
Pierre’s service was held through the Stevens Funeral Home in Dryden, on Friday, October 16, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion with Mrs. Velma Henderson’s kind words and beautiful voice of comfort and compassion.
In Tribute of Pierre’s life a few wonderful moments were shared with all at his service. Truly for us, it is in remembering ALL the great times and happy days we shared with family and friends, that, is most important!
Pierre was always full of life, and always, since a very young age completely filled every day (morning, noon and night) with all he possibly could. Growing up in nature his Father and Papa’s forests were his and his brother’s playgrounds. If we weren’t checking for gold in the rocks, we were swimming and splashing in the rain water that was pooled in the huge skidder- tire ruts in the middle of nowhere, it was fun!
They learned about life without a phone, or a TV, it was a great time. Pierre enjoyed the water and all water sports. He was an excellent swimmer and went water skiing whenever he got the chance. Biking and mountain biking, walking, hiking, dancing, or walking on his hands. He loved fishing, camping, snowboarding, snowshoeing, as well as hockey, which he played with a passion all is own.
He tried out for football one year, and decided he needed to get his body physically fit to be true, so he started weight training and throughout a year became the incredible muscle man we all know today! We watched as he transformed into a stronger athlete that he needed to be, then re-signed up to DHS Football and there he played with all his heart as if he was a 7’ man.
He broke records! We were always so proud of him, he never bragged. He loved earning his own money. He hated that money ran the world, but knew if he was to buy a gift for a girlfriend or go out for lunch a paycheck was pretty sweet. He loved his work in the bush, with his Father and Papa. It just came natural to him. His job took a lot of patience and experience. He listened well and was respected by all who worked with him. He planted trees one spring also and was very proud of that. It was very hard work and this tree plantation, which is another legacy of his, will be able to be shared forever.
He always enjoyed inviting the “teams” over. Hockey, football, or any kind of group of friends for birthdays or holidays simply came to the “little house” for loud music, board games, movies, card games, then Nintendo, then X-Box, then the tournaments would begin. When Guitar Hero hit our house, Pierre didn’t get into it as much as his brother at first, but as soon as John and Kevin were playing it, he became a Pro! Pierre played cribbage with us and his Grandparents often, and always left the table, smiling with a win or loss; that’s how he was. The board games at Blue Lake would go on all night. Those cherished days of good, good times. Pierre was always so full of energy, and was always working on a new tree-house or any other project that involved building with wood, in our forests.
He brought “the city kids” (The Solomon’s Brett, Alex, so many friends) to his wooded paradise and shared his love for nature with them. He always helped when he was called on, and was respectful to us all. He often showed us the sides of things we hadn’t noticed ourselves; always amazing us with his knowledge. Halloween was always such fun. The brothers would carve pumpkins with their Dad. What a mess! Years went on we started having pumpkin carving contests, and IGA was always pleased as I usually purchased 10 or 11 plump pumpkins. The details that the boys put into their carved pumpkins were amazing. One year, Pierre wore a real pumpkin on his head to school. We laughed so hard, and the bus driver never knew what to think! Yes, he went on the bus with a real pumpkin on his head!
He had a keen eye for art and had a very special new artwork which he let take over him this last year and a half. We were, and still are, overwhelmed by his creations, and the patience that an individual would need to create such masterpeices. He didn’t brag or boast. He shared his work with us, asking our opinions regularly, explaining some of the moods, and songs that had inspired him in each work. “What talent you have Son”, is all we could say. He also started studying the many great Philosophers and was challenging their theories. We said “What? Sorry son you will have to speak to Papa, you are too hard to understand”, so he did, and then he went a step better. He rewrote theories so that we could understand them. He started a website for students with similar interests and some were just friends that he wanted to keep in touch with. He let his ideas flow through them in which he called “The Dissection”. It was brilliant! I told him it was great, and he knew it. He was sharing, what he did best!
We believe now that possibly it was his work on his theories and his amazing Art work that helped him work through a lot of his tough times. We know with all our hearts how much he loved us and life. That is why his Art is comforting to us as it was his own therapy he used to keep himself going on each day. Work it out, walk it out, talk it through, create.
The complete sorrow we feel as a Mother, Father, brother, and close close relatives comes with an incredible understanding and peace that Pierre’s life, in 19 years, was as great as it could ever be!
Few people live such a lifetime in 19 years, and he did, he truly did. We just found out days before Pierre’s death that he had a disease which we still know very little about (soon to change). Bi-Polar, the questions we have are (a million), the sadness we feel unimaginable. We do believe in the depths of our hearts, without a second guess, that our Son/Brother is not suffering in agony, pain, and torture that this disease creates, and takes over its victim’s mind. We will not give up finding out more about this, and other similar diseases of the mind, as we need answers. We will need all of the support and love that this great City of Dryden and surrounding areas has shown us, now, and in the future, we will get more help. Pierre’s memory will be honoured and remembered, as we dedicate all we can to helping others tortured with this Bi-Polar and closely related mental illnesses. We know Pierre would want us to help others, and would want us to understand why? It’s a disease, we just didn’t know what the signs were? We know that there is hope for new and better medicines, counselling, preventative awareness, and yes maybe a cure, (a surgery, a needle, something instant, to ease the pain.)
Pierre’s love as you all know, is real as is our love. Loving in separation is no less real than loving in presence. Keep Pierre close in your memories, at your gatherings, in your classes, where ever. We will keep in touch, as all the stories, good and bad, are what made him the beautiful young man that he was. Keep his smile and laughter with you always, and the love he shared and his friendships with each and everyone will go on and on . . . Share!
To you all, from us, Pierre’s family and all the Dabbas and Papas and Aunties and Uncles and Cousins, “All we need is love . . . all we need is love . . . all we need is love, love. Love is all we need!!!!!!!”
We will meet again. For now we live on knowing the stars are brighter, and more brilliant than ever before. Peace.
