Lifelong volunteer says it’s important to give back to the community.
Born in Sturgeon Falls, Gabriel Provost, 66, has been volunteering with the Timmins and District Hospital Foundation (TADHF) for almost three decades.
He started doing it to give back to the community and says he’s been blessed to be able to help.
“The city of Timmins is not named the 'city with a heart of gold' for nothing. I firmly believe that because what was given to me, I try to give it back but they just keep on giving to me,” he says. “What I received here in Timmins is a lot, an awful lot.”
Provost lived in St. Catharines for 20 years before moving to Timmins in 1981. When he was younger, he also lived in Kapuskasing and Smooth Rock Falls areas.
During his life, he has had three heart attacks, four heart operations, a surgery for tuberculosis, kidney cancer, and diabetes but he’s in “adamant, perfect shape” now.
“I have a ton of people to thank. I’d really like to thank the nurses and the doctors at the hospital that have kept me on my feet. I’ve been to the Heart Institute in Ottawa, they saved my life three years ago. My wife saved my life twice,” he says. “It’s incredible, the help I’ve received.”
Provost says his wife Janet, who has 32 years of experience in nursing, has been “godsent.”
On one Christmas Eve, Provost was having a heart attack as Janet was holding and calming him down while calling 911. The next morning, he ended up at a hospital in Sudbury where his family was told he only had 10 per cent chance of surviving.
So, Provost called his cardiologist in Ottawa who answered his phone on Christmas night.
“I respect people like that… These people got to be commended,” Provost says. “Dr. Beanlands and Dr. Keon. I was lucky, extremely lucky, I got the top two guys.”
Provost says he was never a church-goer and he never knew the power of prayer, but he is a believer now. He recalls how one of his friends, Ray Auclair, prayed for his recovery after Provost’s third heart attack three years ago.
“This was the first time that somebody has ever prayed for me. I have a motto when I say now 'the devil didn’t want me' when I had my heart attacks. And He didn’t want me up there,” Provost says, raising his finger to point at the sky. “So, I guess you guys are stuck with me for a while.”
Provost has also been a member of Club Richelieu for 35 years. He served as the club’s president and, as a bilingual, he says he’s happy he’s able to speak two languages.
He was also the president of the Timmins Golden Bears for two years.
Last month, Provost received the inaugural Robert Perreault Volunteer Award from the TADHF. He also has an award from Collège Boréal for his fundraising efforts.
"It's an award for me, but really I'm not the only one in this," he notes.
His fundraising experience also includes raising money for various politicians regardless of their party.
“I vote for the person, not the party. That’s who I am,” Provost explains. “If like the person who’s running, I will back him up, I will vote for him, I will raise money for him or her, no problem.”
Currently, he's trying to stay away from fundraising as much as possible as it gets tiring after decades of doing it, he says.
Provost says he is most proud of the first fundraising effort he and his friend Dave McGirr did. At the time, they were asked to raise $5 million for the hospital equipment.
“It was a heart-warming feeling when people say, ‘We achieved what we wanted. We surpassed what we wanted to do',” he says. “And at the end, we counted everything, and it was almost around $8 million.”
The Timmins hospital is also working on a pin program, based on Provost’s idea, to recognize those who work at the hospital.
“It’s important to give back because giving is receiving more than you can think of,” he says.
