Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 22, 2007, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg repress. Com c Ity & b business s saturday december 22, 2007 City editor Paul Samyn 697 7292 City. Desk free press. My. Ca i Winnipeg repress. Com b 1 Economy flies the loonie boosted economic activity in october on a National scale business b 11 1 877 958 7333 wow. Outlook financial. Com 4 .35 % daily savings y of just knew it was going to happen. Last month an outpouring of generosity from free press readers allowed dancing Gabe and his brother Rick Langlois to be in Toronto to cheer on the bombers in the Grey cup. But on a weekend when Gabe was constantly being stopped to have his photo taken by yet More bomber fans a Saskatchewan supporter began to taunt Winnipeg Gas most celebrated cheerleader. Dancing Gabe the Roughrider fan bellowed. What kind of name is dancing Gabe Rick described what the rider fan looked like. He was a big huge Guy and head been drinking. I just said hey be careful what you say buddy. You dont know him. And then he called him a retard. It did not end there though. People have asked me who dancing Gabe is. What makes him dance like most people i Only knew Gabe from watching his Pom Pom prancing performances at jets bombers and Gold eyes games. And occasionally seeing him walk away alone towards a bus Stop. Gabe Langlois True identity is More complicated of course. So when they returned from the Grey cup i sat Down alone with Rick Langlois and asked the question of who Gabe is in a More personal Way. What was it like growing up with Gabe Rick responded reflexively. Gabe did not talk until he was 10, Rick said. Yet according to Rick and other members of the family Gabe is almost a Rainman like figure when it comes to sports knowledge. He also is a gifted speller which Means the family with which he lives his Long widowed Mother Angela sister Claudette and her nine year old son Ryan never have to open a dictionary. And despite his awkward dancing style hers an athlete. For years Gabe ran the full Manitoba Marathon. But it took him so Long that Claudette finally suggested he scale it Back to a More efficient half Marathon. Gabe is the kind of Guy who buys everyone in the family a Christmas gift and even goes around dropping off Christmas cards to attractive Young newspaper reporters he has never met and sportswriters he has. All of this on his meager income. He has a disability pension that pays him about $ 325 a month and he works part time at the St. Vital y where he earns $ 80 a week. Mind you All he really cares to buy is his monthly bus pass. Continued please see Gabe b 3 Gordon Sinclair or. Insight into the person behind the moves and Ever present smile dancing Gabe the Man family photos gabes graduation photo from Gle Lawn collegiate in 1981. Above left Back Row l r Gabe Mike and Rick front Row l r Gerry Claudette and Rob with trophies. Above right Gabe runs Manitoba Marathon in 1987. Right Gabe in autographed photo with bombers Rod Hill left Matt Pearce and Grey cup 1989. The Langlois family in 1983. From left Mike Claudette Gabe Mother Angela Rob Rick and Gerry ;