Don Touched Us All
Written by Joe Theriault

When you see #40 stickers on the Dunlop player uniform, their helmets and other MLH players helmets please know that Don Sanderson was so much more than #40.

The entire Whitby Dunlop Family is mourning the loss of not only one of our own players but one who made a tremendous mark on the world in such a short period of time.

This young man of just 21 years of age was respected by all who met him, intrigued by his ideas and touched by his kind demeanor.

He had his iPod earphones on as he listened to his tunes while taping his sticks outside the Whitby Dunlop dressing room in Norwood when I approached him to ask to photograph him for the Dunnies website.  I congratulated him on being one of the rookies on this team and his face beamed with pride. I didn't know much about him at the time but I did know that he was enjoying this moment.

I had no idea that he was a York University student that was doing well in his education or that he donated his time to help with teaching young people with on ice training. I also didn't know that he was so sensitive to others like being there with flowers on his grand mother's birthday or getting her a special Christmas sweater to wear. I didn't know that he and his mom had a bond not only of respect for one another but one of being ‘buddies'.  I couldn't make it to this year's Santa Claus parade but have been told that Don was ‘having a ball' handing out candy canes to the children on the parade route while wearing his #40 Dunlop jersey.