Celina Caesar-Chavanne

Sept 05, 2019

It breaks my heart to write this letter of condolence to the family of Dr. Donald Stuss. He was a former boss, mentor and friend to so many and he will be profoundly missed.

On a personal note, and on behalf of my husband, Vidal, and children, Desiray, Candice and Johnny we want to thank you for sharing Dr. Stuss with us. He insisted that we call him Don, but out of respect, we never did.

I hope you forgive my intrusion during this personal time, but there are a few stories I would like to share with you. I hope they make you smile during this difficult moment. I met Dr. Stuss in the early 2000s while working on his Cognitive Neurorehabilitation project. In applying for the Research Assistant position, the job description asked for someone with a background in statistics and psychology. I did not have either, but turned up for the interview anyway. When the interview started, Dr. Stuss asked me to tell him something about myself. I immediately said that I did not have the prerequisites for the job, but I did have passion and drive and I was a quick learner. “You can’t teach that stuff. You can teach me stats and psych and I will learn really fast. But you can’t teach passion.” I said. He took a chance and hired me at a time when I desperately needed the job. By the end of the assignment, I asked if he could write a reference letter for me to apply to do my Master’s in Science. I had always wanted to be a doctor, but with my terrible undergrad grades, I needed to take a bit of a detour. He agreed to write the letter, but indicated that I was better suited running a business, than sitting behind a bench in a lab. Although I was disappointed, I used the letter to apply for my first MBA and started my first company ReSolve Research Solutions, Inc. Over the ten years which ReSolve operated (2005 - 2015) we won the 2007 Black Business and Professional Association’s Harry Jerome Award in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year category and the 2012 Toronto Board of Trade’s Entrepreneur of the Year. He had a keen eye, and was the type of boss that wanted to see each employee move on to greater success. He encouraged me to do the little things really well, and not worry to much about the big things I could not control. A lesson I use to this day.

When I lost the by-election in 2014, Dr. Stuss mentioned that he was passing through the Durham Region for work. I asked if we could meet for lunch and he agreed. As we got talking, I mentioned that I was struggling with depression. He took the time to tell me the story of his own struggles, and in the end said that if I was ever in trouble, I should call him immediately. “How would I know if I am in trouble?” I asked. He simply said that I would know, and that I should use the number. He closed by saying that I should think of my mental illness as a gift that allowed me to rest and take time for myself. I would not truly understand his advice until after I was in a crisis state in early 2016. It was time to use the number, because I did not know where else to turn and I felt everything about me slipping into darkness. Dr. Stuss called and emailed and phoned until I was seeing the best doctors in the country. He is part of the reason that I am still here today, and I am grateful for his kindness and help.

In 2018, when he received the Order of Canada, I sent him a text congratulating him. “Well thank you Ma’am.” He responded. “ How did you find out?” I told him that I knew things, but most importantly, I loved him. That is just it. I loved him, because for some reason, he took the time to see me when I thought no one saw me. Outside of my parents and immediate family, there are two people who I credit publicly with changing my life. One is Dr. Carol Greenwood, and the other was Dr. Stuss.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for him. He was a gentle, courageous and wonderful man. I will continue to celebrate him, and honour the legacy of every gift he has given me in everything I do.

​With Love, Celina