I am very honoured that I came face to face with the great Lou Murphy.
I first came to Saint John in the late 80s so therefore I really didn’t know this man.
I soon found out this he wrote as many letters to the editor as yours truly.
We became good friends and I used to pay him a visit in Milford one a month.
I would phone the guy and we would discuss different issues.
Who can forget the time he gave then Premier Frank McKenna a tongue lashing for the cuts at Saint Joe’s in the Legislature?
I have so many stories about this great man that maybe one day I’ll do a series in this paper.
The sad day that he took a heart attack and landed in the hospital.
His family allowed me to pay him a visit. There he was moving his head to the right and left. The family told me that he could hear me but couldn’t talk.
I quickly went to the washroom to dry my tears.
I grabbed him by the hand and told him that he was a great man and he helped a lot of people in Saint John.
I quickly turned away and waved to the family and left the hospital with tears.
He died a couple of days later and I must admit that I took his death very hard.
Donnie Coholan continues his tradition of lighting at MurphyVille during the Christmas Holidays and thousands of citizens still gathered around the huge
hill in Milford.
After the funeral, I confronted Frank McKenna and Doug Young and asked them what can we do for Lou Murphy?
Name the Harbour Bridge - The Lou Murphy Bridge? But then again, we will have to remove the tolls because he fought hard to remove them.
The story that got him so upset was the time a funeral possession went over the bridge and they had to stop so each vehicle would give a quarter.
That was too much for Lou.
Doug Young quickly told Frank that if the province would agree to take control of the cost of the bridge?
There shouldn’t be any problem.
Well, that didn’t work out but the area of Milford open a Lou Murphy park for the kids. What a great honour to a man who used to give money to the kids after a school year.
Yes, we will never see the likes of this man again.
Today will indeed be a time to reflect on a man who did so much for its citizens.
May God Bless the great Lou Murphy!
6 comments:
Have you not posted this fourth or fifth time. No wonder you are not getting comments.
I might paste this story another 10 times!!!!
It may make you happy but it will not get you any new readers or visitors.
The reason that charles........
Aww forget it he will just remouve the comment.
Any comment that doesnt agree with charles will be remouved.
Sounds like the Irving papers.
Yes, Lou Murphy did what he could to take the tolls off and have the bridge written off, wish I could continue the cause. The Mayor of Saint John wants to borrow money to spend for Saint John, wrong! Stop giving tax concessions and expect the citizens to pay forever. Fredericton has briges the government paid for why not Saint John? This dept should be written off.
I'm glad you keep posting this subject, Charles. Since I'm a fairly new subscriber to your blog, I had not read this story before. I had the pleasure of giving care to Mr. Murphy as a new nursing student, in one of my earliest clinical rotations at Saint Josephs hospital in 1992. He was always pleasant, kind, complimentary, and never critical. The man was a saint! In the profession of nursing, these things and types of pt.s are hard to come by. I am sad to hear of his passing - even though it is 10 years now - and this is my first news of it. Since living in Texas for 12 years or so, I had always wondered about how he was, or if he had passed. I truly appreciate your blogspot. It keeps me updated on what's going on at home. So, keep it up Charles. And to those who have nothing to do or say, but criticize, all I have to say is, If you don't like it, lump it.... Oh, and, GROW UP!
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