I loved you, Josh Cinnamon, so very much so very long ago. During those UBC days, you were everything to me and I will never think of that time without thinking of you. This is gutting and it makes me so sad to think you passed away so young (but you used to always say it—that you would go young or live to 120—how did you know?). Thank you for all those happy memories and I’m sorry it was two years ago and I didn’t even know til now. Thank you for it all then and thank you for it all again even though it wasn’t the thousand years you promised. Rest in peace, sweet boy.

I loved you, Josh Cinnamon, so very much so very long ago. During those UBC days, you were everything to me and I will never think of that time without thinking of you. This is gutting and it makes me so sad to think you passed away so young (but you used to always say it—that you would go young or live to 120—how did you know?). Thank you for all those happy memories and I’m sorry it was two years ago and I didn’t even know til now. Thank you for it all then and thank you for it all again even though it wasn’t the thousand years you promised. Rest in peace, sweet boy.

How to capture the essence of Josh in words... he truly was one of a kind. His work ethic, loyalty, generosity, humility and wit were second to none. But it was his ability to make everyone feel truly special that made him unique - he celebrated in others' successes like they were his own. I will never forget telling him I was pregnant with my first child, quietly in his office before others at work knew, he instantly jumped up from his chair to give me a giant hug. Bennett was a baby at the time and Josh loved being a Dad; he was genuinely thrilled for me. I think of Josh every time my kids wear a shirt or read a book he gave them, every time an ebike passes me while cycling, knowing he would be trying to keep up, and every time I drink water while exercising... Mostly I see Josh in Bennett's curiosity and Deacon's sense of adventure, and I know how proud he is of them and Amanda, and how he would have done anything to still be earth-side with them. I know Josh is doing everything he can to watch over them and send them his love, and cheer us all on.

Even though Josh had accomplished so many things (that most people wouldn’t even dream of) he was always so humble about it and downplayed everything. Instead, he would prefer to hear about you - he was genuinely interested in his friends and family and managed to make us feel like we were the interesting ones. One of the few reasons people just seemed to gravitate toward him. An amazing father who loved and nurtured his boys so patiently and easily, Josh showed both them and us how to enjoy the simple things and turn ordinary days into adventures. Josh, you would be so proud to see how Amanda has been raising the boys and getting them through this time - all because you’ve inspired her, like so many of us, to be calm, present and make the most of life.

Josh is the son in law that every parent wishes to have for their daughter, he was always here for us when we needed him, driving in the middle of the night from Calgary when Mounir broke his neck, flying from Vancouver to Edmonton to be with us when Amanda’s grandmother passed away, we could always count on him. We know that he is our guardian Angel now and is watching over us. One of the best memories we have of Josh is the day he flew from Vancouver to Edmonton for a surprise visit that lasted only for an hour to ask for Amanda’s hand. He brought us coffee exactly the way we like it, he paid attention to every detail. He was so nervous and cute, we loved how he respected us and our traditions, Josh will always be in our hearts until we meet again, miss you so much son.

Cinny! What a friend and what a character! I had the unique and rare pleasure of being both a roommate and teammate of Josh at UBC, a relationship that started with hockey but developed into a lifelong friendship with him. During our hockey career together at UBC, Josh played the game with a combination of skill, physical presence, accountability, and an incredible amount of determination – and of course he would always throw a little humour in the mix. All similar traits to how he lived the rest of his life. When you were with Josh, you were guaranteed to have a memorable experience, you just never knew what kind – spontaneity, creativity, and adventure were the name of the game when you were with Josh. He loved connecting with people, whether he was meeting them for the first time or had known them his entire life. And he ALWAYS made time for others (regardless of whether he actually HAD the time). One of my favourite memories with Josh is of our time spent on a bike trip with our friend Nils, cycling from Calgary to Vancouver at the end of our time at UBC. With very little training under our belt, we started the trip with a snowstorm in Calgary and jersey pockets filled with Spitz! Little did we know what was in store over the next week, but by the end we were seasoned cyclists – climbing the Rogers Pass in the cold and wet, flying down the Fraser Canyon with the wind at our back, searching for the cheapest motel each and every night, and doing our best to end each day with a McDonald’s sundae, of course with nuts. The world is not quite the same without Josh, but I’m hopeful that this scholarship can help a future Josh achieve their goals and also leave the world a better place.

Always smiling even in the toughest situations.