Donovan Bailey

I met Donovan Bailey while attending (as a celebrity 😁) Ferguson Jenkins’ golf tournament in Saint Catherines Canada. It was in the mid to late 1990s and Donovan was fresh off his world record Olympic Gold for Canada in the 100 meters. I was a music producer and original voice of the Kool-Aid Man so this was an interesting collision of worlds to start a friendship. The story goes I get to my room at the golf tournament it was nighttime and I'm ready to have some fun and who do I see waiting for me in the lobby? Donovan Bailey, and said he wanted to be sure I did'nt go to the wrong places so he chaperoned me to a couple of bars in st Catherines and he said follow my lead as there was a line to get into these various bars. What he did was put his head in my back and said keep walking so he wouldn't get recognized. In the bar? All rules were gone. To describe Donovans’ celebrity in Canada, is like if Babe Ruth or Muhammad Ali walked down any American street, it was truly mind blowing. Funny thing about him being the world's fastest man as his slow gait while walking was enough for me to get behind him with my head in his back, to try to push him along. We would see each other at least once a year at this golf tournament. Donovan has been a dear friend all these years. I dont see him often but nothing changes when we meet. So I wanted to honor my good friend with my painting of him in his glory.