The 40the The Operation Red Nose campaign has a little secret that is reminiscent of a Christmas story with the wedding of two key volunteers, including the famous mascot.
The love stories in “Nez rouge” are not all about the man in the views, like in the 2003 film by Érik Canuel and starring Patrick Huard.
Éloïse Trudel-Brûlé was already working as a rider for Nez rouge in Laval and was asked to join the promotion team.
“We tour the rooms, we sell promotional items to collect donations and we walk around with the mascot,” explains the young woman, unaware of the impact this function will have on her life.
“I just saw the big yellow beetle for the first time. I asked the organizers questions: “Who is the mascot?” I was curious and they told me it was a secret, they didn’t even want to tell me if it was a man or a girl,” recalls Éloïse.
Astutely, she finally recognizes who embodies Red Nose. But it will stay that way and we will have to wait until the next campaign for Éloïse and Jonathan Asselin to talk to each other.
It clicks
“The following year (2012) I was paired up with Jonathan to go horseback riding. “That’s when we started talking,” she says.
Jonathan, who takes his role seriously, mentions that he remains silent when he puts on the Red Nose costume.
“The mascot doesn’t speak. There is only one who speaks and she is in Quebec,” he says, referring to the famous Brotherhood of Big Stuffed Animals member Bonhomme.
“I started in 2004,” he said. I took a break because I moved to British Columbia. I am in my 15th year, still as a mascot,” explains the man who combines this activity with escorts.
Once the ice is broken, it takes no time for the relationship to establish itself.
Éloïse Trudel-Brûlé and Jonathan Asselin with their dog Luna as volunteers for the accompaniment on December 9th. Photo provided by Jonathan Asselin
“Every year there is a party at Stéphane Bolduc, the promotion manager. I offered to bring Éloïse with me. She dared me to kiss her. We arrived together and it took off from there,” says the man who didn’t hesitate to take on the challenge.
Éloïse and Jonathan have lived together for 10 years. “We call ourselves the little Red Nose couple,” adds the nutritionist.
“I first really fell in love with Jonathan when I watched him as the red-nosed mascot because he focuses his attention on adults, children and the elderly. He is an eye-catcher, but at the same time has a big heart! He will find the person alone in the crowd and give them a big hug,” reveals Éloïse.
Big event
The lovebirds, both 39 years old, united their fate by getting married on December 17th.
Éloïse was asked for her hand in marriage in the 2022 election campaign in a very original way.
“Red Nose got down on one knee and made the big request to me,” she always wonders.
Throughout their relationship, the couple continued to work for Red Nose.
And if they were a little less diligent in this 40th election campaign, it was only because they had an important event to organize.
“They are more than appreciated, we look forward to seeing them every time. We always ask them: “When will we see each other again?” I’m always curious if Jonathan will be the mascot at the end of the week,” explains Louis-Philippe Lemay, coordinator of the Laval operations center.
No jealousy!
Éloïse assures that nothing will change for Red Nose as a result of the marriage.
“I call the mascot my second friend. But I share it. We visit the parties. The mascot is particularly popular with girls who have a little drink up their nose. “I’m not jealous of Red Nose, even though a lot of people are attached to him, let’s put it that way,” she scoffs.
At the start of their outreach, on a ride-sharing night, a customer hands over the keys to his vehicle and $50 to have volunteers wait for him for 15 minutes. He repeats his trick a few times.
A pair of foam breasts are attached to the rearview mirror of his vehicle, in which Jonathan and Éloïse are waiting for him.
“I started playing with it to make Éloïse laugh,” says the manager of a road signage company.
“It was the beginning of our conversation and it remained a little internal between us,” agrees Éloïse.
“I’ve had the same pair in my truck’s rearview mirror ever since!” Jonathan laughs.
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