Earlier this week, my skating friend Julie Szabo sent me a message that my beloved skating coach, Brian Power passed away ~
This is the man who helped bring my skating to greatness, who challenged, cajoled and ultimately saved my life on that tragic day at NSWC December 17th, 1977.
I should have bled out and died, but Brian was there to be a human tourniquet on my right thigh, calming me, talking me through breathing slowly, and making sure I did not turn around to see that my leg was almost severed at the thigh.
My fellow skater guy friends from Kenny Moir to Jimmy Szabo, (gosh I cannot recall everyone's names at this moment) carried me off while Brian held my leg together.
When there is serious bleeding, after 3 minutes, one suffers vital organ damage ( heart attack, brain injury and the body starts to shut down ) after 10 minutes, you are dead.
Brian not only saved my life but gave me the life lessons that helped springboard me into my next career, and I will always remember him. He taught us life lessons on " how to accomplish things " not " how to be a competitive figure skater." This made all the difference to me and helped me understand that it was simply a shift of which metier.
These photos of Brian, I took at Hollyburn Country Club, perhaps in 1978? as I was doing a story on him for my fashion school classes, after my skating accident and I think it is a fitting series of photos to remember Brian Power and his work legacy.
He was searingly smart, critical, loving & challenged...
May he rest in peace and know that his brilliance will never be forgotten, and on my part, I will always remember as my friend, mentor and as the man who saved my life.
