GUELPH
They've lauded a prime minister and a rock star, a military general and a governor general. But yesterday Our Lady of Lourdes high school celebrated one of its own.
National Hockey League player and Lourdes graduate Manny Malhotra was given the National Leadership Award at a ceremony yesterday at the school.
"It means a lot to think that people see and hold me in that regard," Malhotra, 29, said. "It's very humbling."
Malhotra attended the school for two years while playing for the Ontario Hockey League's Guelph Storm and graduated in 1998. In the award's nine-year history, he is the first Lourdes grad to be honoured.
The Mississauga native's picture will now go up beside those of former prime minister Paul Martin, Tragically Hip lead singer Gord Downie, Olympic gold medallist Donovan Bailey and First Nations politician Elijah Harper, among others.
Last year's recipient was another NHLer, Mats Sundin.
"He's such a good role model for our school and somebody the kids can really connect to.
"Fame and fortune didn't affect him," said Lourdes teacher Joe Tersigni, who runs the award program.
"When he went to this school, every teacher here talked about what a great kid he was. He wasn't just a hockey player, he was just a regular Lourdes kid."
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