It was 80 years ago. The economy was in a depression. War was in the air.

In the midst of this turmoil, two events would be of utmost importance for me. Two heroes were born.

On April 18th 1938, Superman was born, in the pages of Action Comics #1. The first superhero.

On the day before, on April 17th Was born Yolaine Ouellette, my mother. Although she was not from Krypton, she displayed heroic traits that would be of a decisive influence on my life choices.

Single-handedly raising me in a loving and intellectually stimulating environment, she simultaneously worked for the common good; decades, working for low pay, highly socio-responsible, jobs which culminated in the founding of a non-profit daycare center that have since been providing assistance to 10s of 1000s of families: La Garderie du C.E.G.E.P. André-Laurendeau.

She taught me all the right things: generosity, empathy, team spirit, dedication,  love of life and of living things, respect for others and for myself. You know ? Basic stuff.

It is in her memory and that of before-mentioned fictional hero that I will now dedicate the night between April 17th and 18th as: the Heroic Night of Selflessness, a celebration of the human ideal of universal brotherhood.