1992

I was lucky enough to be Dan’s friend from birth and he was always like family to me no matter where we were in life. Our parents became best friends during their years at STFX in the 1970s and the rest is family history. We were born just a few weeks apart. He always included me the way a cooler cousin would, checked-in and in our 20s somehow always knew the juicy gossip before I spilled the beans to him! 

During our childhood summers Denis and ‘Bert’ would regularly make the drive to our house in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia from Roberta’s hometown on PEI. We have so many memories of the Hickeys coming over from the Island (and amazing photos to go with) but one year sticks out in particular.

It was 1992, ‘Daniel’ (he was always Daniel to us until he got too cool!) and I would have been 6. It was a memorable visit because Daniel and Thomas absolutely dominated us on our new trampoline (definitely some bruises!) and we all went horseback riding on our pony Rocky. After the Hickeys had departed I told my Mum “I really like that boy with the little things on his face”! Mum ignored me thinking it must have been crumbs from dinner or something else a 6 year old would notice.

A few days later I was adamant the Hickeys needed to come back asap and told my Mum multiple times “I really, really miss the bigger one, with the little things on his face”! To which my Mum said “Fi, that’s Daniel and what do you mean on his face!?” I replied “Mum! Those little things, the ones that his Dad and the other little boy have too”! …. And then she realized, I meant Dan's freckles. Those amazing, couldn't count em' if you tried, freckles. One of my favourite Dan Hickey traits.

Love, Fi