Cheryl Grady

In the past few days it has become abundantly clear that Don touched the lives of many people in profound ways. I am no exception. I don’t remember if I had met Don before I applied for a job at the Rotman Research Institute, but it was obvious to me at my first visit that he had established something remarkable and that I wanted to be part of it. Luckily I got the job, and in February of 1996 (on one of the coldest days I had ever experienced) I made the trek by car from Washington, DC, to Toronto. Shortly thereafter I was sitting in my new office one day, trying to orient myself to my new surroundings and country, and Don walked in. He told me how glad he was that I was now a part of the Rotman family. This was a simple, and very kind gesture, and he probably had no idea of what it meant to me that day. The first part of my career had been very tumultuous and dispiriting, to say the least, and I considered myself very lucky to have escaped into what appeared to be a more healthy and collegial environment. When Don welcomed me that day, I knew instantly that I had made the right decision and my life had changed for the better. The promise of that day did indeed come true over the ensuing years and much of that was due to Don and his amazing ability to bring together people who not only could work together but also could enjoy each other’s company. I will always be grateful to him for giving me the chance to start over, and for all the friendship, laughter and great science that he brought into our lives.