Dorey

To one of my career role models and friend Rob Dorey...

I found out this morning that you have “shuffled off this mortal coil”. I was so sad to hear the news and have been grieving all day about my loss.

You are one of the few people I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know who I labeled as “salt of the earth”. You possessed a very rare gift to walk into situations where millions of dollars were at stake, clients were furious and companies under us were at our throats. You would leave those meetings with everyone at peace... for a little while anyways... haha. It was because of your natural God given personality that enabled peace on the job sites under your authority regarding safety management.

You watched me climb to the top of my career and then fall hard hitting rock bottom when I went through that horrific divorce, and yet even at my worst you treated me like one of your own sons, always saying to me “that’s a my boy Danny!!”

I remember at the K3 site you showing me the the power point video you put together for your wife, how proud you were of her. I remember how you struggled so hard with Parkinson’s on that project and you requested to not be on a 21/7 rotation and asked for a 14/7, but they denied you your request. It was the “powers that be”, both client and our employer who denied you that request who ended up losing out in the end when you had to say goodbye to the project. Little did they understand how badly **THEY**, needed you there. If they had been compassionate to your request I am certain our employer and client would have had a much more positive outcome in the end.

That was the last time I saw you on your last day there. You knew I was in the process of falling down and you had your jean jacket on, your things packed in a bag and you gave me a hug and told me “you got this Danny! I’ll see you later.”

You always responded to my texts and calls after that. Encouraged me when no one else would. I had to go back on the tools in very hard environments causing me to doubt if I would ever get back to where I was career wise.

After years of hardship, the company I currently work for, Komatsu, called you and you gave me an amazing reference. Because of how well you spoke of me, (along with a few other amazing people I’ve met) , I was hired.

In a matter of 4 months working for this company I have moved onwards and upwards from a simple welder to becoming a Fall Arrest instructor, AWP instructor, fork lift instructor, zoom boom instructor, Level 3 First Aid attendant and even a member of the Sparwood Fire Department. Now they even are offering me to be Komatsu’s corporate instructor for all the branches in BC. Your words to my employer aided in all these accomplishments...

And here is **THE MOST** interesting thing Rob... Teck Coal at the Fording River Operation where you started off as a tradesmen as a machinist is offering me a position as a Loss Prevention Officer. What are the chances of that? Being on the tools I’ve walked through the machinist shop and thought of you. You’ve told me that Fording River is a special place to you. If I get this job I am going to dedicate my efforts at that site in your memory and do my best to follow the example you you lived as a Safety Manager and a dear friend... maybe one day I’ll even become a safety manager like you.

I’ll never forget about you rob, and wherever I go, whether Teck or other companies I will follow in your footsteps. And one day we will meet again... all
of us that have been privileged to be in that special circle of friendship.

I wouldn’t be surprised if God made you safety manager of his angels. Haha...

Blessings to your family that you loved so much and spoke so highly of.

We will all meet again one day...

Much love;
One of your students of life (little did you know) ...

Danny Harris