Danny Wild-Imagn ImagesTalk about surprises, how about this one that also should amaze Adam Fox, who knows about it.
His 99-year-old grandfather, Mel Fox, is in Israel and visited The Maven.
Mel Fox, who lives in Boynton Beach, Florida but is staying in Tel Aviv, decided that he wanted to meet Mave who happens to live in the North Golan Heights of Israel.
Geographically, that's quite a shlep from the center of Israel all the way up to Kibbutz El-Rom high up in The Golan; especially for Mel Fox, who alternates between a walker and a wheelchair and will be 100 years old in August.
"Grandpa decided that he wanted to celebrate the coming of his 100th birthday by coming to Israel," said Mel's son-in-law `Martin Griffel who accompanied Mel. His grandson Alex Griffel also made the journey.
They arrived in a big white van soon after Noon and we spent the afternoon talking Rangers hockey with a little bit of Stanley Cup playoffs thrown in.
From our early conversation, it was obvious that Grandpa Fox acts like he's at least 20 years younger than 99. He's got John Tortorella-type hiss and vinegar in his disposition that makes him react like a young blue seat Rangers fan.
"I wanna talk hockey," he said, once the four of us camped on my deck and talked. "I go back a long, long way with the Rangers and the NHL," Mel Fox went on. "I passed that love of the game on to my son and, eventually Adam put on the skates."
This was in Jericho, Long Island where Adam Fox's hockey roots were planted by a hockey-mad dad and grandpa. All together, they helped orchestrate a Norris Trophy-winner of whom Mel has supreme bragging rights.
"I got a lot of pleasure watching Adam grow into a big-leaguer," said the 99-year-old, "and I remember plenty of his early days. His closest buddy was Charlie McAvoy who played a lot of hockey with Adam as they grew up on the Island.
"My hope was that the two of them would play together on the Rangers but that didn't work out."
Our afternoon schmooze went on and on as hockey talk will do. Eventually, time had come for the Fox ensemble to return to their Tel Aviv hotel.
It was tough for The Maven to say good-bye to such a grand guy but even though our music stopped, the melody lingers on!
A visit like that happens once in a lifetime and I will relish it forever!