It’s with a heavy heart that we inform the MLHS community of the loss of one of our own, Charlie Pafford (aka Burtonboy), after a battle with cancer.
Even among this community full of hardcore fans, few rivaled Charlie’s passion and knowledge about the Leafs and the NHL. He elevated the discourse in every conversation he took part in. He also selflessly dedicated countless hours of his free time keeping an eye on the comments section to ensure the community remained fun and debate-filled but also respectful, civil, and kind to one another.
On a personal level, I’ll greatly miss my one-on-one chats with Charlie about the team. He was so sharp, detailed, passionate, and knowledgeable. No one deserved to celebrate a Leafs Stanley Cup win more than him. Charlie also shared many encouraging words about our writing efforts at MLHS. As life became busier and busier with family/work and it felt like too much to manage at points, chats with Charlie often reminded me that MLHS is a tradition and a community very much worth fighting to preserve.
MLHS never would’ve become what it’s become without Charlie’s contributions, and it won’t be the same without him.
R.I.P., BB.
“I’m not a doctor, but I’m pretty sure if you die, the cancer dies at the same time. That’s not a loss. That’s a draw.”
– Norm MacDonald
The family has requested that donations in Charlie’s name be directed to the Canadian Cancer Society or the MLSE Foundation. His obituary is available here.
