Last week, a Zamboni in driver in Toronto became the oldest goalie to win an NHL game.
David Ayres is the guy that keeps the ice clean for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He also serves as the practice goal tender for them and their minor league team the Marlies. In a strange set of rules, he also serves as what is called an Emergency Goaltender, meaning he is available for either team if both of their goalies are incapacitated.
Ayres has suited up on a number of occasions but never made it out on the ice, and never really expected to. So when the goalie from the Carolina Hurricanes got injured he made the trek to their locker room to get half-dressed when he got the call that their backup went down. This was his time.
He played for the opponent of his home team and beat them. On their own ice. And the crowd loved him anyways. They cheered against their home team for this hometown hero.
David Ayres got $500 and gets to keep the jersey he wore. He will never be a regular NHL player and will most likely never play on professional ice again. But last week his dreams came true. And with them proved to all of us that ours can too.
We will most likely never become professional athletes or start the next 100 million dollar business. But we can give 100% to our day, every day. And maybe those days of doing the jobs that make others better at theirs will give us the opportunity to shine. Even if it’s just for a few hundred bucks and a memory.
