WINNIPEG The man behind a famous Winnipeg Blue Bomber is marking a milestone with the team. This year James Deighton, better known as the mascot Boomer, is putting notch number 33 on his belt. Deighton first donned the Boomer costume in 1989 and never imagining he would be in it as long as he has. I was only supposed to actually wear the costume for one year to fill in for someone that was injured, said Deighton, who is the mascot coordinator and part of game day production. He said the previous year he was the other mascot Buzz and got to be part of the Grey Cup winning team.
I say this every year, but it doesn’t make it any less true: I’ve left a lot on the table this year. So many people stepped up and did incredible things in 2020. There were thousands of people who achieved amazing things, faced the pandemic battle on the front lines, gave back, received awards and impacted lives. I try to do 100 new names every year and not repeat any from previous lists. That said, I’ve still got dozens of names to carry forward to next year. Please stay safe and look after yourself. All the best, always.
A COVID-19 suspected patient is brought into a resuscitation bay in the adult emergency department at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. The amount of personal sacrifice for literally putting their own lives at risk to help others is immeasurable, says Burpee. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)