Peter Gzowski has died or is dying as I write this. How can I describe how important he was? The CBC radio host was in every Canadian's kitchen for years with his warm voice and sharp wit. I saw him two months ago here, with his walker and oxygen tank. He was looking at me as though he recognized me. I certainly recognized him and smiled, but immediately felt sad at how weak he looked. How wierd when something so personally affecting becomes newsworthy. I got a little affronted by everyone walking around today, asking: "Is peter dead yet?" but then I realised they were genuinely sad, and didn't want to miss an opportunity to honour their friend.
And everyone across the country is sending in letters and posting on our discussion board... It is wonderful that the editors and programmers have all made his death top story.
He wrote the most incredible essay about addiciton in the anthology: addiction: notes from the belly of the beast. He died of emphysema. We should all quit smoking.
