How did Jacques Demers do it?

phenom · 11-03-2005, 11:58 AM

Doesn't seem possible for him to do all he did with this problem, but I guess he did.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2212397

Quote:

According to The CP's report, Demers says in the book that few knew of his problem and that he would ask assistants to write letters for him. Even his wife, Debbie, didn't find out until Demers broke down after not being able to write out checks for house bills.

jnshmoo · 11-03-2005, 12:09 PM

I think it goes to willpower and ambition more than anything else. Just like people with other handicaps like blindness or deafness, some people find a way to overcome the problem and make things work for them.

I always liked Demers. Amazing what someone can do if they want something bad enough.

eriqjaffe · 11-03-2005, 12:48 PM

I think it was the 'roids.

Jonzard · 11-03-2005, 12:52 PM

He kept focused and didnt read the press clippings

Delgadodawg · 11-03-2005, 12:53 PM

That is pretty amazing, I saw him interviewed last night. He memorized phrases such as 'All the best' and 'Best Wishes' so he could sign autographs - but he couldn't even write a check or read a scouting report.

canadiancreed · 11-03-2005, 01:07 PM

wow that's a big shocker!

kq76 · 11-03-2005, 01:08 PM

That's incredible. I can't even imagine being able to go through life not being able to write and he did it while having high profile positions! How in the world could he have fooled so many for so long? Well done, Jacques!

One thing though. Instead of saying, "Don't beat up their mom in front of the kids", maybe you should say, "Don't beat up their mom", period. Not just because you shouldn't beat up women, but because the kids will likely figure it out anyway.

jnshmoo · 11-03-2005, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kq76

One thing though. Instead of saying, "Don't beat up their mom in front of the kids", maybe you should say, "Don't beat up their mom", period. Not just because you shouldn't beat up women, but because the kids will likely figure it out anyway.

Well, to be fair, he is illiterate!

I did get a little chuckle over how that came across.

Jason · 11-03-2005, 06:54 PM

I was stunned when I saw this story. Amazing someone can go as far as Demers went in his career without anyone finding out.

11-03-2005, 12:09 PM	#2
jnshmoo All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Not Here Posts: 1,226	I think it goes to willpower and ambition more than anything else. Just like people with other handicaps like blindness or deafness, some people find a way to overcome the problem and make things work for them. I always liked Demers. Amazing what someone can do if they want something bad enough. __________________ Beer Snob and Baseball Sim Geek

11-03-2005, 12:48 PM	#3
eriqjaffe Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Under The Christmas Fish Posts: 7,734	I think it was the 'roids. __________________

11-03-2005, 12:52 PM	#4
Jonzard Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,647	He kept focused and didnt read the press clippings __________________ For a scientist must indeed be freely imaginative and yet skeptical, creative and yet a critic. There is a sense in which he must be free, but another in which his thought must be very precisely regimented; there is poetry in science, but also a lot of bookkeeping. — Sir Peter B. Medawar FTB

11-03-2005, 01:07 PM	#6
canadiancreed Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 11,660	wow that's a big shocker! __________________ PT21 PT22

11-03-2005, 01:08 PM	#7
kq76 Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 12,035	That's incredible. I can't even imagine being able to go through life not being able to write and he did it while having high profile positions! How in the world could he have fooled so many for so long? Well done, Jacques! One thing though. Instead of saying, "Don't beat up their mom in front of the kids", maybe you should say, "Don't beat up their mom", period. Not just because you shouldn't beat up women, but because the kids will likely figure it out anyway. __________________ My OOTP Wishlist \| My FAQ List OOTP Wiki \| Your Recommended Team Nicknames, By City (A Crowdsourced Project) For Beta/Devs: Full screen (1920x1080)

11-03-2005, 12:53 PM	#5
Delgadodawg All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Vancouver Posts: 800	That is pretty amazing, I saw him interviewed last night. He memorized phrases such as 'All the best' and 'Best Wishes' so he could sign autographs - but he couldn't even write a check or read a scouting report.

11-03-2005, 06:54 PM	#9
Jason Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,855	I was stunned when I saw this story. Amazing someone can go as far as Demers went in his career without anyone finding out.