In the daily life of our lives there are people who contribute to our happiness without us realizing it. Sometimes visible, but more often discreet, these people support public service actors in their provision of services to the community. Their commitment, whether modest or more significant, is essential, because it has the power to improve our quality of life and sow a little good around us.
As district mayor, I have had the privilege of meeting hundreds, even thousands, of these guardian angels. Whether they work in a community center, organize leisure activities, day camps, or dedicate themselves to food banks, their contribution improves the social fabric in an extraordinary way. Some are volunteers, others are paid, but never commensurate with the value of what they bring.
Two weeks ago, two of these guardian angels left us far too young, while they still had so much to offer. It is about them that I want to talk to you today. For what ? Because these two men leave behind an indelible mark on the urban fabric of Montreal. By giving without counting with generosity and kindness to thousands of citizens, they embodied, each in their own way, this deep commitment that so many others shared before them and that many others will still share after them.
Jimmy Rancourt, director of the youth center L’hôte maison, in La Petite-Patrie, and Billy Walsh, general director of the Association of Business Development Companies of Montreal, left us within a few days of each other. They leave behind much more than grieving families and loved ones, to whom I extend all my condolences.
Their disappearances are also synonymous with immense, heartbreaking losses for communities made up of young and old, from here and elsewhere, who, one day or another, received from them a spark of life, a a glimmer of hope, a significant gesture, a comforting word, a compassionate or complicit look that had a great impact. To the point of changing, or even saving their lives.
These everyday heroes allow us to collectively see further and think bigger. Jimmy ran the youth center for over 20 years. Both a ball of energy and a spark plug, he always managed to find a way to guide those who were desperately looking for a light. It is impossible to measure the number of adolescents he worked with and for whom he played an invaluable role.
Jimmy believed that every young person could hope to find their path through the use of art and the liberation of their creative spirit, in all its forms. Despite the obstacles encountered by L’Hôte Maison over the years, he embodied this quiet strength, this pillar on which the entire organization could rely in order to be able to look to the future with the conviction that everything was still possible.
Billy was one of those who saw solutions everywhere, right down to the heart of every human being. He had a rare talent which allowed him to bring beauty out of chaos, a talent which also allowed him to transform doubt and distrust into something luminous. He leaves behind much more than a thriving and revitalized street. During his 12 years at the head of the Wellington Commercial Development Company, in Verdun, Billy literally embodied the soul of this street by making this solid landmark a support on which everyone could count, at any time.
Humble in his words and in his actions, Billy was a beacon for many small entrepreneurs and often offered them valuable support when all seemed lost. With his unwavering optimism, he only saw solutions, even in the face of the greatest obstacles. In many respects, it is to him that we owe the transformation of local commercial streets in Montreal and beyond. It was his spirit of openness, his sensitivity and his empathy that helped to light a glimmer of hope in the eyes of those who, a moment earlier, had disagreed.
These two men each shaped Montreal in their own way over the decades. They will never have sought the limelight. Their dedication was rooted elsewhere, in their deep desire to help others, their satisfaction coming from the simple joy of seeing a tangible improvement taking place in people’s lives. Not out of vanity, but for the pure joy of seeing smiles light up their faces.
These kinds of everyday heroes can be found everywhere, in every neighborhood, every village, every community. We encounter them without always fully measuring the impact they have on our lives. How many times have we taken the time to thank them? A simple knowing look, full of gratitude, is often enough in such cases, but the frenzy of our lives makes us forget the essentials.
Like so many others, Jimmy and Billy embodied what is noblest in each of us: that humble generosity that pushes us to help others every day. They will have sowed happiness around them without expecting anything in return. Gentlemen, you left too soon, and we already miss you. I say a huge thank you for everything you have accomplished, but above all, for the magnificent beings that you have been. Goodbye, and rest in peace, others will continue your efforts.