Scott Wawryk

Wade Belak’s friendship, personality, selflessness and authenticity had a profound effect on my life. We’d spend off days on weekends together in our backyards. Our kids would play together, swim together. Our wives usually had to drive home. No one laughed like Wade. No one drank coffee or beer faster than Wade. No one helped others like Wade. No one loved his wife and kids more than Wade. Wade was a great big self aware, selfless softy. He loved people. He loved animals. And he loved farting in a car then locking the windows. And he had this confidence in who he was, sans ego, that doesn’t exist in many people. But never abused his privilege. He used it to help others. Playing in the NHL was a means to an end. It was just part of his journey to the destination of being a goat farming financial planner. He loved being around happy people and was never negative, always quietly positive and hopeful. My sons have reverence for his memory. He was larger than life and they liked it when he came to their hockey practices. He was “Uncle Wade” who was pretty good at hockey too. 😂 He loved reading about the Kennedy’s and financial planning and was one of the most financially literate people I’ve ever met. He loved to learn. He was the calmest person in the room in every room he was in. He knew who he was and everyone felt safe around him. Not because he could fight. People felt safe around Wade because he never judged anyone, always advocated for kindness. The right thing and people good to other human beings. I remember these things 13 years after we lost him because those are the only things that matter. I’ll see you again, sir. Until then, thank you.🙏