All you have to do is ask a couple of questions and you’re bound to find something extraordinary about the person you’re talking to.
There are extraordinary people everywhere you look and we are fortunate to be able to feature some of them on Huntsville Doppler.
Of the extraordinary people profiles we shared in 2019, these were your favourites. You can see more at the links at the bottom of this post.
(Click on each person’s name to read more about them.)
Guts and glory: Meet Riley McEntee
Riley McEntee can finally say he’s comfortable in his own skin. But it took most of his life to get there. (Laura MacLean)
Riley McEntee always knew he was different. He’s only 19 but he’s got a life story that would make for an epic best seller. His smile is sweet and his eyes have a worldliness to them. He’s bold and eccentric and he’s got something important to say. Because once upon a time Riley was assigned female at birth. He’s aware of the misconceptions. He knows first-hand that they come from a lack of understanding…
The heart to care: Meet Paul Bastedo
Newly retired, Dr. Paul Bastedo says he will deeply miss his patients. (Laura MacLean)
Paul Bastedo has faced tragedy and triumph all in the same day. He has saved lives and experienced the sorrow when a family has to say goodbye to a loved one. He’s brought life into the world, and he’s also been a shoulder to cry on when a mother delivers a stillborn baby. He’s cured, mended, repaired and helped rejuvenate. That’s the thing about being a doctor. There’s never a dull moment at the office. Paul has just recently entered a new chapter in his life and it’s one he’s already thoroughly enjoying. After four-plus decades as a family doctor, Paul has officially hung up his coat…
Most people know Fran Coleman as a former town councillor who was never shy to voice her opinion. But there’s a softer, sweeter side to Fran and her life story is one that is anything but ordinary. (Laura MacLean)
You can do anything you put your mind to. That simple saying means so much to Fran Coleman. She knows it’s true. There have been many occasions over the course of her life that she believed she could and she did. She knows the feeling of glory when you win and she’s also experienced defeat. She’s been over the moon with happiness and down in the dumps with depression. But Fran’s willingness to grab life by the horns and never look back is her strong point. That quality has allowed her to live a very full life with no regrets…
The pursuit of happiness: Meet Jack Nickalls
Jack Nickalls is brains and talent all rolled into one. (Laura MacLean)
Jack Nickalls doesn’t have a crystal ball that will show him what the future holds, but he believes in the possibility that he can truly be happy in life no matter what he does. “I think I can be happy as long as I surround myself with good people and positive experiences,” he says. Apparently, this teenager has a better grasp on the necessary ingredients for a good life than some people do who are twice his age. Jack is an aspiring musician. He’s also expanded his resume to include singer/songwriter, which has been somewhat of a natural progression for this creative Huntsville native. But he might tell you music isn’t the only thing that defines who he is…
The elite hand: Meet Chris Cherry
Chris Cherry’s favourite place in the whole school! The stairway going up to the second floor at Huntsville Public School has a picture perfect view of the playground. (Laura MacLean)
Chris Cherry has never met a kid he didn’t like. “Kids are amazing,” he says. “Even the bad ones. And usually they are the ones who just need a little bit of guidance.” The 58-year-old head custodian at Huntsville Public School is a kindred spirit. There’s a gentleness to him and it’s detectable in his eyes and in the way he carries himself. He’s not worn down by the job or doing it just because he has to. There isn’t one thing he doesn’t love about what he does and the kids, well, they are the reason for that. They give meaning to each and every day he spends working at the school. When he was a young boy, a custodian at the school he went to always went out of his way to talk to Chris. Now, he’s returning that kindness to the kids at Huntsville Public School. There’s a stigma attached to custodial workers; Chris is well aware. But he wants to set the record straight…
See more extraordinary local people here!
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