Perry Giannias first fell in love with the Expos when his parents, Greek immigrants, took him to games at Jarry Park in the 1970s. As it became increasingly clear that the Expos would be moving, he did not want to attend the funeral of his favorite team. Obsessed with preserving their memory, he began putting together a detailed tribute to the club. He even found a delicate item that belonged to Expos ace Steve Rogers.
At an event a few years ago, he dared to ask Steve Rogers to autograph the long johns he wore in the 1980s at the Expos. Steve looked at him strangely as he signed the boxers, reminding him that he never wanted to see the item again.
Perry's passion was his family and the Expos. But in July 2015, his life was turned upside down. Her five-year-old niece Kat died of cancer. Since then, he has been organizing the celebrity gala to benefit the Kat D DIPG Foundation at the Montreal Children's Hospital because Perry wants his niece Kat's death not to be in vain.
Your parents are Greek immigrants.
My father Peter founded his catering company in Laval before returning to Greece to marry my mother, who passed away a few years ago. My father, who is 92 years old, lives with me, my wife Voula and me.
You are very grateful to your wife.
Voula takes care of my father as if he were her own. She uses my mother's same recipes to prepare her meals.
They come from Pont-Viau.
I attended Lester B. Pearson Elementary School and graduated from Laval Catholic High School. Today I would like to say that I was one of the few Greeks who attended this school and played minor league baseball from the age of five.
Even today, people still don’t know how to skate.
Unlike other Greeks, my father was not an ice hockey fan, but rather a baseball fan. So we went to the Expos together, but I didn't play hockey or any other sports.
What did you do in winter?
I ate a lot because my father was the owner of Pierre sous-marin in Vimont.
I guess your first job was at your dad's restaurant.
Absolutely ! At the age of 11, I was a cashier and tensions between my father and I were high.
For what ?
Firstly, it is always tiring to work with your father when he is the boss. However, when working for a Greek father who owns the restaurant, the intensity increases during peak hours.
You had a passion for music.
One of the police officers from the legendary Station 10 in downtown Montreal owned the bar Le Terminal. My job was to hire bands to entertain the customers.
You had your French-speaking rap music group.
Imagine you are a Greek from Laval who founded one of the first RAF bands, Mouvement Rap Francophone.
The group had an audition at CBS Records.
We were thrilled because it was Bill Rotary, who had discovered Celine Dion, who would be attending our audition.
How did the audition go?
Fast enough. Shortly after our performance began, he recommended that we find another career.
What did you do after your audition?
I decided to study journalism at Concordia University. After a meeting, the career counselor recommended that I study literature.
Love, school, work.
I met the love of my life in college and married him. Today, we have been running a daycare center in Vimont for 32 years. This is the best way to describe these wonderful years with my wife.
Your first collector's item.
I was in third grade and Stacey, the daughter of Expos scout Stan Deneka, asked me which signed Expos player ball I wanted.
A signed ball from Ellis Valentine.
To my surprise, she came to class with a ball signed by Ellis. More than 30 years later, I asked Ellis to sign the same ball at a celebrity gala. He was surprised to see his signature there from several years ago.
You've never met Gary Carter.
Thousands of Expos fans have either an autograph of his or a photo with them, but I, one of the biggest collectors of Expos memorabilia, have no memorabilia of his with me. I never spoke to him.
Has the situation improved since his retirement?
At all. However, I am fortunate to be friends with his wife, Sandy, who is so supportive of my cause.
Andre Dawson and the Guerreros are your idols.
When I was younger it was Dawson and today it's the Guerreros. Your unconditional support enabled me to raise more than one million dollars for the Kat D DIPG Foundation at the Montreal Children's Hospital.
A new challenge awaits you.
I am committed to raising $2 million for the Kat Demes Pavilion in memory of my niece. This home is free for families whose children are cared for at the Montreal Children's Hospital.