WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – EVER.

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98, Rock 98.5 FM & LTD Radio)

It’s rare that I’m speechless but that was the case on Tuesday afternoon when I’d received word of the passing of my good friend Derek Meyers due to cancer at age 45.

A day later, I can find the words to give the man a tribute he so deserves.

The Midale, SK product was nicknamed “Duke” by Kelly Remple, after a famous Stampede Wrestling character from the 80’s. The name stuck, although people from Derek’s hometown said there was another, original, “Duke of Midale”.

I didn’t care. There was only one to me.

Derek came from an oil family and had a degree in Geology but sports broadcasting was his passion and that took him to school in Edmonton and a job in BC. But when he came to Global Regina in 2008, we became fast friends.

Very fast, and very close. We spent a lot of time together professionally and personally. I knew everything about him and he knew everything about me.

Derek had a goal of being on Sportscentre and was undoubtedly talented enough and good-looking enough to get there. But when the lottery that is the media business never pulled his ticket, he got out and never looked back.

Before long he found politics and thrived in it. Derek was a rising star in the Sask Party, and in the Province. He found his true passion was serving the people and this was no surprise to me. Derek’s a winner at everything he chose to do.

And I’m gonna tell you we leaned on each other in the hard times we each faced, and there were a lot. But he never stopped smiling. Ever. And he never said a cross word about anyone. Ever. I kept waiting to see another side of Derek, one that wasn’t so sunny, carefree and positive.

It didn’t exist. He is that person. What you see is what you got. Someone to be counted on and, to be honest, when I was acting like an idiot he’d tell me, like only a true friend would. I’d apologize and stop.

I knew Derek was gravely ill but our last phone call was about two weeks ago and he confidently said he was halfway through radiation treatments and had turned a corner. I told him I loved him.

Then late last week I was informed Derek had finally found a foe he couldn’t beat and his time was limited. Then the call came on Tuesday that he’d been called Home.

At age 45 and leaving behind a very young family, this isn’t fair. However they’re a strong unit and they will pull through. It’s a very strong family.

Meanwhile I’ve found the best way to honour Derek Meyers and his legacy is to be that positive influence everyday and help others.

But I don’t think I could ever do it as good as him.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV, YouTube Live and WQEE)