In Memoriam RIP Alberta O'Reilly Fan

[sarge88]

As @DKH mentioned, a legend. His style was so unique, it was easy to recognize his posts even without looking at the profile name on the left side of the screen.

I have been reading this forum every single day for almost 20 years now. I never met anyone from here, but when I hear about this sad news, I felt I had just lost a longtime friend. It made me realized many of you are very important for me. Please all be careful.

Even if I didn't agree with many of his posts, Mike had a real positive influence in my life. He helped me understand that, even if everyone disagrees with you, you have to be honest with yourself and stand for what you believe in. The world is so full of people changing their minds all the time just to please others, life has taught me that is not the right path to happiness or success...Mike was a true inspiration to help me realize that finding your passions and love is the true meaning of life.

When I was reading Mike's posts, I was often imagining he was Don Quichotte with a Bruins sweater. RIP.

One thing that stood out is that he never seemed to take things personally and there were times when I wished he’d defend himself more forcefully.

i remember jumping in when someone posted something in a reply to him that I thought was off sides.

I greatly appreciated him thanking me for it because you could feel it was sincere....like all of his posts.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

@DominicT my condolences to you on the loss of your friend, hang in there

 

[Numbah4]

I joined around 2000 to find out info about Kyle Wanvig. MK was a great read. Even though there were disagreements about players occasionally. We were all very cordial to one another.

 

[Number6]

One thing that stood out is that he never seemed to take things personally and there were times when I wished he’d defend himself more forcefully.

i remember jumping in when someone posted something in a reply to him that I thought was off sides.

I greatly appreciated him thanking me for it because you could feel it was sincere....like all of his posts.

Yes, absolutely. Also, his resilience was off the chart. A unique human being.

 

[NeelyDan]

Perhaps an opportunity/reminder to treat others, regardless of forum or venue, with respect even in disagreement - he took his fair share of heat, and truthfully, I find myself now wondering if I ever went at him a bit too hard. It's possible - and although regret after the fact is arguably not meaningful, if I ever did, I am so very sorry - and will use the experience to be better in the future. Thanks for that, Mike.

 

[Blowfish]

Goodbye stranger it's been nice
Hope you find your paradise
Tried to see your point of view
Hope your dreams will all come true

 

[Dr Hook]

Perhaps an opportunity/reminder to treat others, regardless of forum or venue, with respect even in disagreement - he took his fair share of heat, and truthfully, I find myself now wondering if I ever went at him a bit too hard. It's possible - and although regret after the fact is arguably not meaningful, if I ever did, I am so very sorry - and will use the experience to be better in the future. Thanks for that, Mike.

This is a great reminder- there are far too many people on this forum (and I have been one of them in times past) who never miss an opportunity to make it personal. We are all sharing opinions, thoughts, and feelings here. Having a different take than someone else doesn't make them stupid, ignorant, or, my all-time favorite: you must never have played hockey if you think THAT. We can debate vigorously but it doesn't have to be done disrespectfully. This is sports, and while sports can be an important part of community and identity, it should never be cause to diminish someone's humanity or make them feel less so we can feel like more.

 

[Jim]

His trade proposals, especially back on the old boards, were epic. I’m talk 8-step, 4-team, 20 player deals!!! I used to skip on down to the part where he listed his adjusted lines just to see what all-star team he had created.

 

[Gordoff]

Found these from 20 years ago when HF had a writing staff. Our roots if you will.

Michael checking in on a low draft pick from way out west. His stomping grounds.
As well as Bruins thoughts.

Bruins prospect Donald Choukalos - Hockey's Future

Boston Bruins Training Camp Preview - Hockey's Future

Will Year Five Be The Charm? - Hockey's Future

Reading these has brought back some great memories for me. I lurked here for a few years before joining. Before this and other sites I got my hockey fix from Boston newspapers (both Herald and Globe) were delivered every day to my house and I loved it.
A day didn't start, even in the "dog days of summer" where I didn't grab the papers, pour some coffee and start scanning for Bruins/NHL news (and other more pertinent stories to my life) before I got on the road. HF Boards and Mike changed that for me and in the ensuing years my subscriptions dwindled down to only Sunday papers. At that point I went cold turkey and cancelled them when the "news" regarding hockey was about a week behind what I found out on HF Boards.
It was many years before I realized that "Alberta O'Reilly Fan" was Mike and that was well past the time that we messaged back and forth.
One thing that I can say about him is:
He never allowed his ego to over-reach his humanity.

 

[Gee Wally]

Reading these has brought back some great memories for me. I lurked here for a few years before joining. Before this and other sites I got my hockey fix from Boston newspapers (both Herald and Globe) were delivered every day to my house and I loved it.
A day didn't start, even in the "dog days of summer" where I didn't grab the papers, pour some coffee and start scanning for Bruins/NHL news (and other more pertinent stories to my life) before I got on the road. HF Boards and Mike changed that for me and in the ensuing years my subscriptions dwindled down to only Sunday papers. At that point I went cold turkey and cancelled them when the "news" regarding hockey was about a week behind what I found out on HF Boards.
It was many years before I realized that "Alberta O'Reilly Fan" was Mike and that was well past the time that we messaged back and forth.
One thing that I can say about him is:
He never allowed his ego to over-reach his humanity.

This really hits home with me. On all counts.
I delivered the Globe in late 60s and early 70s.
A paperboy. Remember those?
My day always started under the porch lights reading first what Francis Rosa wrote. Before folding my route papers.
Then a life long subscription from paper form to today electronic subscription.
In between and in addition The Hockey News. Especially for what other teams were doing and draft info..
Then this thing called the internet came along.
I stumbled upon this place January of 1998. I can remember that because my twins were born then and I had ‘free’ time in middle of the night between feedings and changings.
My first post I cant even remember. Only that I was flamed for my User Name as being ‘stupid’. I responded with what can I say. Wally is my name. I grew up watching Leave it to Beaver. Take it up with my mother.

Been here for since then. For better or worse.

Thanks for your post. Brought back a lifetime of fond memories.

 

[sarge88]

This really hits home with me. On all counts.
I delivered the Globe in late 60s and early 70s.
A paperboy. Remember those?
My day always started under the porch lights reading first what Francis Rosa wrote. Before folding my route papers.
Then a life long subscription from paper form to today electronic subscription.
In between and in addition The Hockey News. Especially for what other teams were doing and draft info..
Then this thing called the internet came along.
I stumbled upon this place January of 1998. I can remember that because my twins were born then and I had ‘free’ time in middle of the night between feedings and changings.
My first post I cant even remember. Only that I was flamed for my User Name as being ‘stupid’. I responded with what can I say. Wally is my name. I grew up watching Leave it to Beaver. Take it up with my mother.

Been here for since then. For better or worse.

Thanks for your post. Brought back a lifetime of fond memories.

I vividly remember when I was in HS and college driving from Lawrence, MA to Newburyport MA...30 miles or so because there was a newsstand there that got the Hockey News 2 days earlier than I could get it anywhere in the Merrimack Valley.

I also remember buying the Globe and Herald every day on my walk to school starting in 7th grade and talking sports with a couple of teachers, who would eventually become coaches and then friends.

 

[Mainehockey33]

AOF was one of the good ones. I’ll admit I skimmed through many of his long winded posts over the years and laughed at some of his trade proposals, but I always respected him for his passion and that he was a nice guy. We joined the SIM league around the same time and he helped me with tips and trades in the beginning and then hounded me for any Bruin player I had. He definitely loved the team more than most which says a lot on this site. RIP my friend.

 

[goldnblack]

That last post of his was an awful read and simultaneously a great read. I've actually found sports fandom to be a lot easier for the past 4 or so seasons.

I enjoy the wins and barely sweat the loses. For example I was over the STL series in under a day. Pucks go in, some pucks don't. It's fun to enjoy being part of a great tradition. But at the end of the day, don't let it get to you.

 

[Ludwig Fell Down]

I was so sad to hear the news that Dom shared on Twitter about Mike's passing. He was one of the people who make this place so great, and has kept me lurking if not posting on a regular basis. RIP to one of the good ones.

 

[HumBucker]

Oh, this is such sad news. I didn't know him at all personally, but he was a fixture here for so many years. R.I.P. Mike.

My condolences to his family and friends.

@DominicT, please let us know if there's an initiative we can all help with as a board.

 

[LouJersey]

Perhaps an opportunity/reminder to treat others, regardless of forum or venue, with respect even in disagreement - he took his fair share of heat, and truthfully, I find myself now wondering if I ever went at him a bit too hard. It's possible - and although regret after the fact is arguably not meaningful, if I ever did, I am so very sorry - and will use the experience to be better in the future. Thanks for that, Mike.

I used to say how lame it was to get any satisfaction from a Presidents trophy. You never really know what someone else is going through. Thankfully I got to know him a bit the past few months and he said he never took anything personally on these boards. He just loved the debate. He loved the trade talk. I learned a lot from him and will never look at sports or life the same way again.

 

[Alicat]

I looked at all of the comments here and on the tribute site and came up with this and sent it to Dom. I did my best through all the tears

Mike aka Alberta O’Reilly Fan’s passion for the Boston Bruins was unmatched. He could find the positive in every game, win or lose.

He started and ended his posts with positivity about the Bruins and about life. You may not have agreed with everything he said but the time and passion he put into every single post made you stop, read and reflect before attempting to reply with the same passion.

Mike always had kind words for posters when they were in a rut or rough patch. If you needed a pick me up, you could go right to his ‘Positivity Only’ thread. He would also reach out in private to offer more personal words of wisdom, compassion and sympathy.

Our board is a giant family. Dysfunctional at times, we love each other and always have each other’s backs. Mike was part of this family and his passion and positivity kept us going when things seemed bleak on or off the ice. Now as a family, we remember him and we mourn his loss the best way we know how: by cheering loudly for the Bruins and doing our very best to find the positivity in every situation.

We love you Mike aka Alberta O’Reilly Fan and we send our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

 

[pgm16]

My condolences to his family

 

[ODAAT]

This really hits home with me. On all counts.
I delivered the Globe in late 60s and early 70s.
A paperboy. Remember those?
My day always started under the porch lights reading first what Francis Rosa wrote. Before folding my route papers.
Then a life long subscription from paper form to today electronic subscription.
In between and in addition The Hockey News. Especially for what other teams were doing and draft info..
Then this thing called the internet came along.
I stumbled upon this place January of 1998. I can remember that because my twins were born then and I had ‘free’ time in middle of the night between feedings and changings.
My first post I cant even remember. Only that I was flamed for my User Name as being ‘stupid’. I responded with what can I say. Wally is my name. I grew up watching Leave it to Beaver. Take it up with my mother.

Been here for since then. For better or worse.

Thanks for your post. Brought back a lifetime of fond memories.

delivered the Oakville Beaver with Rob Zamuner, I had a 6 street area and he an 8 street, we had to actually go door to door once every two weeks to collect payment for the service. Can you imagine anyone ringing your bell now for $$ for a newpaper?

Had a Pennysaver gig when I moved back to Ottawa but got fired when I went two weeks straight in the winter time dumping a ton of them in the woods near my house so I could hit the outdoor rink with friends, needless to say, I wasn`t permitted to go the rink for a month after that

 

[Dr Hook]

delivered the Oakville Beaver with Rob Zamuner, I had a 6 street area and he an 8 street, we had to actually go door to door once every two weeks to collect payment for the service. Can you imagine anyone ringing your bell now for $$ for a newpaper?

Had a Pennysaver gig when I moved back to Ottawa but got fired when I went two weeks straight in the winter time dumping a ton of them in the woods near my house so I could hit the outdoor rink with friends, needless to say, I wasn`t permitted to go the rink for a month after that

I had that gig too- the Orange County Daily Pilot. Up and down hills with that double side orange bag and a ten year old’s stamina. Every so often my Mom would take me in the station wagon and those were the good days.

 

[DominicT]

I have spent a lot of the day calling long term care facilities in Alberta near to where Mike lived to find out the condition of his wife Diane and I have not been able to find her yet.

I did however find her on Facebook. This is the last post she wrote on January 17th.

For those that don't have Facebook, I screen captured it. Having lost my mother and my wife two days apart, you would think I would be able to at least understand. But I do not understand. And I am finding it difficult to accept.

 

[bruins19]

It is with great sadness that I post this.

Mike, Alberta O'Reilly Fan passed away.

Mike was a longtime member of HF Boards and a friend.

I was just this minute given the information

Michael Karlstrom Obituary - Leduc, AB (dignitymemorial.com)

Michael Dwayne Karlstrom Obituary (1968 - 2021) | Leduc, Alberta


https://hfboards.mandatory.com/members/alberta_oreilly_fan.45573/

Very sorry to hear it. May God bless him and his family.

 

[mikelvl]

This is a gut punch. I'm probably one of the ones who never go through all of AOF's posts completely. But his passion was obvious. He died far too young. He was one of the O.G.'s from the Bruins board and it is sad to think we won't be reading his detailed posts anymore. Prayers to his family.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Like to ask Mike after watching NHL Network a few minutes ago get 5 points including natural hat trick who would he take in 1979 knowing what we know now

McDavid or Gretzky

something tells me he will get me his answer some point soon- probably when I’m sleeping because I’m sure it will be long

McDavid better equipment training etc but he like Orr are so superior combination of skating to skills then everyone else they played against

This reminds me of a discussion I had here with Mike last year - he said in a post that he thought Marchand was a better player than McDavid. I was incredulous - sure Marchy is very very good, but to me McDavid's one of those extremely rare once-in-a-generation talents. But he had his reasons for preferring Brad and he stuck by them.

I think that's a little reflection on just how much Mike loved the Bruins, and how willing he was to stick with his own, usually well-considered convictions, even if they went against the conventional wisdom. Credit to him on both counts.

 

[Serge]

This is truly sad. I remember Michael from about 20 years back. I he was an informed and passionate Bruins fan - at the ready to defend his position down to the bricks!
Fun memories. He originally posted as MD Karl. I referred to him as Doc Karl. He will be missed. Cheers to you mate!