Bruce Weaver
Posted on: January 31, 2025
It has been said that brevity is the soul of wit. If that is true, I fear this tribute to Andrew is not at all witty. My apologies for that.
I first met Andrew in 1989 when Michel Bédard and I started going to the McMaster University weight room. In those early days, Andrew referred to us as Ike & Mike. (I don't think we ever asked for clarification, but presumably, Michel was Mike and I was Ike.) Over time, we got to know several of the early morning regulars at the gym, some of whom have already posted their condolences. I remember that Andrew always liked to give the impression (to other guys, at least) that he was a bit of a tough guy, like John Wayne or Stone Cold Steve Austin. But it did not take long to work out that underneath that facade, he was a genuinely nice, tenderhearted guy. As just one example, when any of the gym regulars was moving house, Andrew would volunteer a bunch of us to help. I can't honestly say that he asked us in advance before volunteering us. But never mind. (By the way, Tony, let us apologize once again for scratching that dresser.)
As I write this, I am remembering another incident that spoke volumes about Andrew's character. Several years ago, our friend Paul competed in a powerlifting meet in London Ontario, and a few of us (Andrew, Ron, and I) went along to support him. At that time, my parents lived in Mitchell, which is north of London. So, we went to my parents' house for supper after the meet. I cannot find it right now, but somewhere in an old photo album, I have a snapshot of my mother at the kitchen sink washing dishes after supper. And you-know-who (yes, Andrew) was right beside her, drying the dishes. I wish I had an image file to upload, because that photo shows so clearly that despite the tough-guy persona he sometimes liked to project, Andrew was a genuinely nice guy. I believe it was Paul who once commented that Andrew was "well brought up". He was indeed: He was a credit to his parents.
And that is not the last time Andrew was good to my Mom. After my Dad had died (and I was living in Thunder Bay), Andrew sometimes drove over to Listowel to take her some flowers. The first time he did that, he was not sure which house it was, and one of Mom's neighbours directed him to it. That created a bit of a stir on the street, apparently. Some of Mom's curious neighbours later interrogated her, curious to know who that big strapping Chinese fellow was, and why he was bringing her flowers.
Apologies for jumping around a bit, but here is another memory that comes to me now. The obituary mentions that Andrew was a volunteer at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. He once told me that he was the volunteer who retrieved Peter Farmer's errant hammer throw at the 1978 Commonwealth Games (https://greensboro.com/guilford-prof-lets-hammer-fly/article_da94fc2f-e25c-5678-a055-7c22b635cfd4.html). Therefore, he must have been in very close proximity to HRH Elizabeth II. I don't remember him telling me whether he bowed, curtsied, or did something else. Maybe someone else can provide that detail.
I could keep going. For example, I could tell you about the time Andrew, Paul and I were asked to leave the all-you-can eat Chinese buffet down the street from McMaster. (Apparently, it was not really all-you-can eat.) But I have already gone on too long. So instead, I'll end by thanking everyone who contributed to that beautifully written obituary. Thanks also to everyone who has posted such thoughtful comments and memories about Andrew. We used to tease him about being "the nice man from the gym". But he really was "the nice man from the gym", wasn't he. My sincere condolences to Dee and family, Mr. Lum and family, and to everyone else who is grieving this sad loss.
PS- Andrew was also a topnotch button-pusher! If you don't believe me, ask "Mrs. Bédard".