A Dream Come True - Bobby Orr

Bobby Orr. What can I say about Bobby Orr? I've had a crush on him since I was eight. I can remember watching Hockey Night in Canada on Wednesday and Saturday nights hoping it would be the Bruins so I could see him play. My friend Angela and I used to cut out all the NHL standings from the newspaper and tape them in our hockey notebooks. We were pretty hard-core hockey fans even at that young age.
 
When I was nine or ten, I got a Bobby Orr hockey game for Christmas. Of all the gifts I remember getting as a child my Bobby Orr hockey game is one that stands out. It had the original six teams Boston, Chicago, New York, Detroit, Montreal, and Toronto. Of course, being a Bruins fan that was the team I always played. I had Bobby, Phil Esposito, and Derek Sanderson on my team. A trio that was pretty hard to beat.
 
Even after Bobby had stopped playing, I always hoped and dreamed that someday I would have the opportunity to meet him. Well on October 30, 2018 that dream came true. I was very excited but also a little nervous. I had been waiting 48 years to meet Bobby Orr and my expectations were pretty high.
 
I was the first one in Group Four of the signing line. For the most part it was mostly men who were there to get their books signed, many of whom would not have been born when Bobby played defense for the Bruins.
 
The line moved quickly and after a short time I was next in line. I handed my phone to the Indigo staff member to take my photo, quickly explaining what button to push and to please, please take more than one picture since I often blinked. I took a deep breath and then it was my turn. I stepped forward and the first thing Bobby Orr said to me was “Well hello young lady” and he held out his hand to shake mine. At that moment you could have knocked me over with a feather. As he signed my book, I told him I'd been waiting to meet him since I was a kid and that I'd had a Bobby Orr hockey game. Then it was time to have our picture taken. Not only did he turn towards the camera, but he held my hand and put his other hand on my back.
 
I could not have been any happier as I left the signing line that night. In fact, I could have easily skipped all the way home. Not only did Bobby Orr meet my expectations, but he far exceeds them. I waited 48 years to meet him and it was worth every minute of the wait.

---

---

Subscribe today so you don't miss out on any upcoming blogs.
Coming soon to The Story Behind the Photo is Mitch Albom, Kamal Al-Solaylee, Diana Galbaldon, Terry Fallis, Judy Blume, Bryan Baeumler, Carol Shields (Anne and Nicholas Giardini), Nino Ricci, Kim Thuy, Ami McKay, Joseph Boyden, Elizabeth Strout and many more.​​

Subscribe Today

You may unsubscribe at any time.

Please leave a comment below.