Ed Snider remembered fondly at memorial service

OSTENSIBLY, it was a celebration of the life of Philadelphia sports and philanthropic icon Ed Snider, but toward the end of the program, Jay Snider, Ed's son, revealed some of the last words his father spoke to him in their last conversation before he passed on April 11 at age 83.

"This is what he said, not just for me or the family," Jay Snider said. "He told me, and so I'll tell you.

"Quote - the last sentence he ever spoke was, 'I can't thank the Flyers enough for everything they've given to me and my family.' "

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the event at the Wells Fargo Center, which was attended by thousands, was the variety of people who spoke to memorialize the man referred to as "Mr. Snider," but whose great wish was for people simply to call him "Ed."

From hockey representatives such as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Flyers captain for life Bob Clarke to businessmen such as Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and former PRISM/Comcast SportsNet president Jack Williams to even Mayor Kenney, the list of speakers illustrated the many segments of Philadelphia society Snider impacted.

"I grew up in South Philly around 4th and Snyder," Kenney said. "That neighborhood was about one-third Jewish and two-thirds Irish Catholic.

"I learned the Yiddish word mensch, a person of quality, character and integrity. That word describes Ed Snider better than any word I can think of.

"The Flyers to me (are) the organ-I-zation, that gave me, gave us, identity, enthusiasm and fun."

So many stories from so many different people, but all had the common theme that Snider was a caring man of high quality, who believed that the essence of success was to give back to the people who helped you succeed.

"In the course of his 83 years, (Snider) had considerable business success," Bettman said, "but it was in the community he helped touch - to change for the better through the Ed Snider Foundation, Flyers Charities - those were the things that made Ed feel rich."

Perhaps the best example of that was the least famous of those who spoke during the ceremony.

Virlen Reyes was introduced as a person who grew up in Kensington. She described her environment as one where "crime was a big part of my morning forecast, neighborhood drug deals were my basic studies in current events and economics, and the increase in dropout rates were my lessons in statistics. I had few friends and, unfortunately, even fewer caring adults as role models."

Reyes said she didn't really have dreams or hopes until she found out about the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation.

"I'd never considered hockey at all or ice skating," she said. "I had no concept at all of forechecking. But, in all honesty, I had no other options. Then once I heard it was free, I knew it was for me."

Reyes immersed herself in the education, health and life-skills programs. She wrote Snider a letter thanking him for creating the program. Snider invited her to meet him.

"He was cool, calm and collected," she said. "By the end of our meeting, he looked at me and said, 'Virlen, be happy.' I smiled in response and said, 'Will do.' "

The programs helped Reyes thrive at Edison High School. She became the first member of her family to attend college when she enrolled at West Chester University and joined the hockey team.

"I'm very proud to say I was the first Snider Hockey kid to go to college," she said. "I'm even prouder to say many have followed."

As a junior in 2013, Reyes helped the Golden Rams win the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II women's championship. She was named captain of the team as a senior.

"I remember calling Mr. Snider to ask him on some general advice on how to be a good leader," said Reyes, who works for Spectra, which is owned by Comcast Spectacor. "He said, 'Virlen, don't be afraid. Just be yourself, accept the challenge and know that I am proud of you.' "

Snider was a believer in "objectivism" - the philosophical system developed by author Ayn Rand that was heavily featured in her book "Atlas Shrugged," which Snider often suggested to people he cared about.

Reyes said the lessons she learned from Snider have helped her deal with the fact she was recently diagnosed with a form of autism.

"I can easily cope with this, because, like I learned from Mr. Snider, never count yourself out," she said. "Today, I can't help but think of the many other students (in Ed Snider Hockey) that have experienced or will someday experience the same success on the ice, in the classroom and in general through life.

"All of this, Mr. Snider would be proud of. Life keeps going, and, of this I am certain, that for the thousands of young people like myself who have been lucky enough to have found the Ed Snider Foundation, we have a beautiful edge in life.

"Through the foundation, we have been taught to understand our own potential and to know that there is no limit to which we cannot reach.

"Mr. Snider's spirit will remain very much alive in each success story that comes from each participant of Snider Hockey.

"I want to leave you with something: Be happy. Love life. Pay it forward, because that just makes life a little bit sweeter. Thank you, sir. Thanks, Ed."

@SmallTerp