Saint John man gets thrill of a lifteme singing anthem at Calgary Flames game
Whether he's behind the hood of a vehicle at his auto shop, or behind the wheel, you're likely to hear Dan Joyce singing.
It's a passion he's become known for in Saint John over the years, with plenty of performances at local sports games.
When he's not singing, though, you might find him cheering on his favourite hockey team – the Calgary Flames – a team that recently helped his dream become a reality by inviting him to come and sing the national anthem live at the Saddledome.
"It was just an unbelievable feeling when you step out on the ice," says Joyce, "and I know the rink holds 18,300 people, I don't know how many people were there exactly but I couldn't see an empty seat – it was packed."
It was after he suffered a health setback – with the diagnosis of cancer of the esophagus – that his oldest son reached out to the team.
Joyce says at the time no one was allowed inside of the rink, so he ended up recording a video of him singing the national anthem at TD Station in Saint John.
"They played it at an NHL game … and it went over really well," says Joyce.
"George Canyon called me right after the showing and he said, 'listen, we loved it here, it was great – we want you to come back next year when the rink has people in it and you're feeling better, we'd like to get you to do it live right here at the Saddledome'."
In early November of this year, he was able to fly out to Calgary with his family and do exactly that – and was given a warm welcome by the audience.
"When I stepped on the ice, they screamed my name, they almost took the roof of the place," says Joyce.
"And as soon as I started to sing the anthem it was dead silent, it was just as quiet as a church and that lasted until I almost finished the last note of the anthem and the place just erupted again."
A dream come true for this Saint Johner and a once in a lifetime experience that he won't soon forget.
"There's always a silver lining in everything that happens to me," says Joyce, "so yeah, I'm a pretty lucky guy."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
DEVELOPING Live updates from the Trump hush money trial: Stormy Daniels, bookkeeper testify
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
Man accused of killing two children at Quebec daycare to stand trial in April 2025
The man accused of murdering two children and injuring six others after a city bus crashed into a Montreal-area daycare is scheduled to stand trial over five weeks beginning in April 2025.