Delaney: Mercurio, always helpful

I join others in the Utica area youth hockey associations who feel terrible about Bob Mercurio's death.

I had not talked to or dealt with Bob for many years. I wrote an in-depth feature on one of his Whitestown Youth Hockey Association teams several years ago.

I remember the day Bob and I talked about the story, at a conference table overlooking the rink. He did not know from the man on the moon, and I think he was skeptical. I think he was skeptical, as anyone would be when an unfamiliar reporter asks for access to do a long-term project.

A photographer and I regularly attended team practices and games. We were in the locker room as the boys and parents laced up skates, put on pads, straightened their jerseys.

Once we were included in Bob's minivan for a Saturday morning trip to Elmira for a game. Bob's son Jack was on the trip with assistant coach Bill Caldwell and his son Dylan.

It was a long day, a fun day and the photographer and I got a perspective of what hockey parents do. Bob wrote an e-mail to me after the story ran in the paper. He was complimentary, kind and thankful. A story like that doesn't happen without Bob Mercurio, who was patient, gracious and willing to help.

That just made my job much easier.