Max's Big Day.

"Bienvenue a St-Bruno," said Penguins forward Max Talbot on July 31, his day with the Stanley Cup. Le sigh. I wish he would be forward with me.

When they arrived at Chez Talbot, Max's dad had caulked out an outline of the Stanley Cup on the lawn. How cute is that? I mean, it looks like a crime scene, but I suppose that's just the quirky Talbot humor.

Max took the Stanley Cup to the Centre Marcel Dulude, where he held a fundraising brunch for the Children's Wish Foundation. Iceberg made a cameo, Pittsburgh's mascot. Max had 400 family members and friends. The oldest guest was definitely also the most proud — Max's 97-year-old grandmother, Clothilde. "She was the mother of ten children," explained Maxime's brother Frank. "It was the first time all of us could make it for an event. I mean everybody! All the children and the children of the children. We are talking about more than 75 on my mother's side alone, plus 47 from the Talbot side. Then, there were another 300 friends, too!" Max took a picture with everyone.
I know it's lame to think Max's having a grandma is the most adorable thing ever...but I do. I can picture little Quebeçois grand-mère Clothilde so proud of her Maxime. Le sigh. Love him.

Posters, t-shirts and autographed photos were auctioned off, with money raised going to the Children's Wish Foundation. This paragraph is from the Hockey Hall of Fame Cup Journal:

"You look at these kids, trying to fight this disease," Max said, stopping to regain his composure. "I had the chance to realize my own dream a month ago." Maxime chose that charity because he had been particularly moved by the story of a ten-year-old hockey fan named Jordan, whose cancer has been in remission now for more than a year. It's tough to say who ate more JellyBelly candies from Bonbon Mania — Max or Jordan. This is like my tenth le sigh, but I can't help it. Le sigh.

Max lead a parade in his honor, and said, "It's my home town. I've lived here all my life, and my family still lives here. I played my minor hockey here. It was the only place I even bothered to think about to bring the Cup." One of Talbot's former junior teammates, Roberto Bissonette, is a musician and created a song to honour Maxime. I've attached it below, along with Max's address to the crowd at the parade.

The rest of the day was a huge family party which included other musical performances and tributes, and the family sipping champagne out of the Cup.

Enjoy, as I have. J'adore Max, j'adore. :)
-CE