Tears and laughter at celebration of life for larger than life hoopster

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This article was published 06/12/2024 (309 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A giant service for a giant man.

Hundreds of Winnipeggers flocked to Springs Church on Friday afternoon to celebrate the life of Chad Posthumus, the Winnipeg Sea Bears captain and homegrown basketball star, who died last month at 33 due to complications from surgery after he suffered a brain aneurysm.

Attendees ranged from those closest to the 6-10, 275-pound pro athlete, to former teammates, coaches, teachers, and many who only knew him from afar. Some of the city’s and province’s leaders also paid their respects to the family, as Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham attended the two-hour service.

“Your presence speaks volumes about the person he was,” Posthumus’ partner, Meagan Cancilla, said.

The Posthumus family continuously made one thing clear as they took turns sharing words about their beloved son, sibling and friend: it was a time of celebration, because that’s the only way Posthumus knew how to live.

The celebration pulled as many laughs as it did tears, as several video tributes and photo montages from Posthumus’ playing career and personal life resonated with the large crowd. A poem, written by his brother Jessie, and a song, written and recorded by his dad Charles, were just a few of the tributes.

The service ended with the playing of Party in the U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus. It was Posthumus’s favourite song, and, like he did so many times, brought people to their feet.

Those who spoke also played into the celebration with several tributes to Posthumus.

“Chad, you would have a great laugh about something that’s led up to this day, which is what to wear to this event,” said Sea Bears owner David Asper, who made Posthumus the first player signing in franchise history in 2023. “The Sea Bears (staff and players) have been messaging each other back and forth… and we couldn’t get a clear answer. (Your) family said, ‘Just wear whatever is comfortable,’ and it took until, literally, (Thursday) night at Confusion Corner Bar, just before midnight… when I ran into Brady (Oliveira) and Nic (Demski) and Biggie (Adam Bighill).

“I said, ‘I thought I was going to come to a funeral,’ and they said, ‘Nah, nah, nah,’ Chad wouldn’t want that.”

Asper proceeded to put on an oversized gold chain with a Sea Bears pendant around his neck and a hat that he tilted sideways.

It was the first in an endless series of stories about the man affectionately known as the Beast from River East.

A common theme was Posthumus’ happy-go-lucky attitude and countless shenanigans.

“Drifting in the Mazda,” his mother Diana recalled. “He would have all the boys in the vehicle and they would be drifting and he would say, ‘Lean!’ so that the Mazda would go on two wheels, and they had to lean the other way so the damn thing wouldn’t tip.”

“Not once did I or any of his friends, ever regret getting into trouble with Chad,” said his friend Jordan, who had known Posthumus since their high school days. “Those were always the best nights of our lives.”

“I’m always asked where I knew Chad from — playing sports or school? We actually met online,” said friend Nathan McKinstry. “Someone invited him to the lobby, (his username) was SlurpeeDude69. He was loud, always laughing, always making jokes. When I finally saw him in person for the first time, I just remember thinking, ‘Yeah, that makes sense.’”

Posthumus’ larger-than-life personality became his signature touch on those around him. He had the ability to connect with fans, teammates and even opponents everywhere he played. Away from the arena, he was actively involved in the community as a KidSport Ambassador, community speaker and advocate for those living with Type 1 diabetes.

He is widely regarded as one of the best basketball players to come from Manitoba, thanks to a 10-year professional career that took him to more than 25 countries, and his signing with the Sea Bears quickly brought him to local icon status.

Posthumus’ death was mourned by the entire Canadian basketball community on Nov. 21, while an outpouring of support for the family flooded social media. The Posthumus family has asked that in lieu of flowers, people consider donating to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

“I will always remember how proud he was of the life we were building together especially when we moved back to Winnipeg and started creating our home. He was so excited to decorate our house and loved going to HomeSense. He would tell me what he found and would order something new for the house weekly,” said Cancilla. “Although he’s gone now, home still feels like home from all the little touches from him.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jfreysam