A 'tough as nails' fighter with 'unbelievable optimism'.

• Author: Mills, Patricia
• Position: Viewpoint essay

It was at the Northern Ontario Business Awards (NOBA) in Sault Ste. Marie last October where John Rowswell gave me one of his serious, intense looks when he said he did not plan to retire as mayor of Sault Ste. Marie, despite the recent news of his escalating illness.

It was a courageous comment, considering he had been told that the cancer he had been battling had spread to his brain and there were tumours growing in places where inspiration and vision usually grew.

He reminded me of my mother when the oncologist told her there was nothing more he could do to stop the growth of cancer eating up her body. If he had told her that hanging off a window ledge by her fingernails would give her another few months, she would gladly have done it and no one would ever see the pain of such an experience. There was never a discussion about giving up the fight to live.

John never, ever gave up his fight to live either, and he never wanted anyone to see his suffering. He was a fighter, tough as nails, with such unbelievable optimism that he had you convinced of his invincibility and immortality. He was an interesting man, to say the least.

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Last October at NOBA, John pulled out a bag of props to illustrate to the business audience at the gala how his travels to find investment, business, knowledge and partnerships for his beloved city provided a rich experience that he valued very much and that inspired him to seek the best for Sault Ste. Marie.

It was an unusual presentation that was extremely well planned, well executed and very interesting. Although we were there to honour the 2009 Northern Ontario Business Award winners, we also learned a great deal about John and his intense passion for his city

He had a quirky sense of humour that was actually hilarious once you got to know him. He was smart, unorthodox and a big thinker who wanted to change the world faster than most people could comprehend.

Some would say that he was a dreamer, that he thought too big and his plans were too grandiose for a small Northern Ontario...