HAYDEN MICHAEL DOOKHERAN

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HAYDEN MICHAEL DOOKHERAN
May 17, 1964 - August 4, 2020

Peacefully with his daughters by his side, our dad, Hayden Michael Dookheran, passed away on August 4, 2020.
Dad was born on May 17, 1964 in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. He was an only child and had many fond memories of his early years growing up in Trinidad. At the age of eight, he moved to Toronto with his mother and would visit his father every summer in Winnipeg. When he was 13 years old, he moved to Winnipeg to live with his father with whom he shared a special relationship. He called Windsor Park home for many years and attended Beliveau School and graduated from Windsor Park Collegiate. He went on to complete a certificate in business administration. Dad spent his career working in the hospitality industry, which appropriately fit his personality and his ability to connect with people. He spent 11 years of his 25-year career working at the Norwood Hotel.
Dad is survived by his two daughters, Kyra and Salina (Mas); grandson Kale; his father and friend, Ellyson; mother Gloria; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins globally and many close friends whom he thought of as family.
Dad was a people person. His smile and charismatic personality lit up every room he went into. Not only did Dad leave a lasting impression on every person he met but he also made a point of learning everyone's name that he crossed paths with. He had an ability to make everyone feel special and his big smile and outgoing laugh brought comfort to so many. He had a genuine appreciation for culture and in his final few years at Vista Park Lodge you could often hear him asking staff and visitors when he met them how they said hello in their ethnic language and he asked about their cultural backgrounds. He was so proud to be from Trinidad. One of his favourite sayings was "you can take a man out of Trinidad but you cannot take Trinidad out of a man". He was equally proud to be a Canadian and often said how grateful he was to live in Canada.
Dad loved nicknames and often made up his own nicknames for the special people in his life. He loved being outside in the sun and he loved to read. One of his favourite places was The Forks and over the years we've created many special memories with him there. Nothing made Dad happier than spending time with his family and his friends. Dad enjoyed sports and played baseball, volleyball and golf throughout his life. He loved watching sports and you could always count on him to be cheering on ALL of his teams - the Winnipeg Jets, the Oakland Raiders, the Dallas Cowboys and any NBA team that Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant were on. He had a true appreciation for music and loved to dance. At every party you could find him on the dance floor with his Trinidadian flag in hand. He loved his soca, chutney and reggae music but also enjoyed classical music and jazz. Dad's face lit up when he was listening to music and during some of the challenging times throughout his life, music brought him relief and peace. When we hear his favourite songs, we know we will smile and find comfort in the music that brought him so much happiness.
We will miss hearing him say, "gimme a bonx!" which is his own version of a fist bump that he first taught us when we were little kids and he continued to ask us for a "bonx" as adults. We will miss hearing his stories and listening to him recite his favourite quotes. Dad will be remembered for his jokes, his smile, his laugh and his spirit. He loved his family more than anything and we know that even though he is no longer physically with us, we will continue to feel his presence and love.
Dad was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis in 2014 and despite the challenges he faced, he continued to have a zest for life and a positive spirit. As the MS progressed, he moved to Vista Park Lodge where he spent his final three years.
We would like to thank all of the wonderful staff at Vista Park Lodge for the care and comfort they provided to him. We would also like to thank the Scaletta (who Dad lovingly referred to as the Scaletta 11) and the Biswas families for their kindness and friendship they extended to our dad during his time at Vista Park Lodge. You are special people and Dad loved you. We would also like to thank his community of friends and especially thank his close and special friends who visited him regularly and added so much quality to his life. Dad's friends were his family.
Donations in Dad's memory can be made to Manitoba Possible (formerly the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities) or to Willow Place.

Dad, we will miss you so much.
Thank you for all of the memories.
We know you are at peace now and that brings us comfort. We love you very much and we know you will always be with us.

A Celebration of Life will be held on August 8, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. As a result of COVID-19 and the gathering restrictions, a limited number of people will be invited to attend the celebration in person and they will be contacted with the details. For all others, the celebration will be live streamed and we hope you can join us in celebrating the life of our father. The live stream can be accessed on the Thomson "In the Park" Funeral Home Facebook page, you may follow this link to view it: https://www.facebook.com/Thomson-In-the-Park-Funeral-Home-and-Cemetery-1934981230093053/

THOMSON "IN THE PARK"
204-925-1120
Condolences may be sent to
www.thomsoninthepark.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 06, 2020