'We can't speak': Barenaked Ladies band member on connecting to daughter through music
As a long-time member of the iconic Canadian band, The Barenaked Ladies, Kevin Hearn has played before large audiences all around the world, but his most cherished performances are before an audience of one in a Toronto area group home. That’s where his daughter Havana lives. At nearly every visit, he plays her favourite song, Streams of Lemonade, a take-off on Streams of Whisky by the legendary Irish band The Pogues.
- Is the full episode above failing to play? You can watch it here
"Music in general to me - in regards to Havana - it's just the way we connect. We can't speak. We can't really have a conversation with words, but we can have a really deep and rich, rewarding conversation with music," said Hearn.
Havana, now 20, was born with a brain malformation called lissencephaly. She’s non-verbal, has limited mobility and endures seizures.
"When we first heard of her diagnosis, after spending a few weeks at the Hospital for Sick Kids, we were distraught," remembers Hearn. "And I went back to the hospital the next day and asked if I could speak to the nurses and the doctors. And I said, 'We don't know what to do. We're in a state of shock. And they said, ‘She's your daughter. All you have to do is love her.' And that was the best advice. And so my mission has always just been to give her the best life she possibly can have and facilitate her happiness."
A vital part of facilitating Havana’s happiness was finding somewhere for her to attend school when she was ready for kindergarten.
"We heard about Beverley School and made an appointment and went in there and it was like you could hear a choir singing. It was like, this is where we belong. This is a place for Havana," said Hearn.
For decades, Toronto’s Beverley School has been catering to young children with exceptionalities. All of the students from kindergarten to Grade 8 have developmental disabilities and many have both physical limitations and complicated medical conditions.
"We are here to provide opportunities and resources to every child,” said Beverley School principal Danjela Malobabic. “It's a place where we have technology readily available that other classes, other schools would not have because there is a level of understanding of what the students need."
By catering the entire learning environment to children with disabilities, the educators at Beverley believe they are able to tap into every student’s potential. Hearn feels it was the perfect place for Havana.
"It's a place where she grew up and she learned,” said Hearn. “Every day they would do activities and try to teach her about the world and nature and everything you could hope for your child. I'm ever grateful for the part that school played in our lives."
As a way of expressing that gratitude, Hearn performs in an annual fundraising concert for the families of Beverley School called Dream Serenade. Aside from Kevin, Dream Serenade has included a wide array of high profile artists including Gord Downie, Serena Ryder, Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo, Tom Cochrane, Feist and Matt Berninger from the National. The shows have raised more than $400,000 over the years. That money has gone towards everything from respite care for the parents of Beverley School students, to playground equipment.
"Dream Serenade is a wonderful thing,” said Hearn. ”I'm just honoured to be a part of it every year."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Norway, Ireland and Spain say they are recognizing a Palestinian state in a historic move
Norway, Ireland and Spain said on Wednesday they are recognizing a Palestinian state, in a historic but largely symbolic move that deepens Israel’s isolation more than seven months into its grinding war against Hamas in Gaza.
Thunderstorms with tornado risk in some areas in Ontario, snow elsewhere in Canada
Canadians can expect a mixed bag of weather, with forecasts warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain and snow in some areas across western Canada.
NEW How to remove ticks and what to know about these bloodsuckers
Ticks are parasitic bloodsuckers, capable of spreading deadly disease, and they’re becoming increasingly common. Here’s what you need to know about them.
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada goose vs. fox fight on video
A Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
Canadians feel grocery inflation getting worse, two in five boycotting Loblaw: poll
Almost two-thirds of Canadians feel that inflation at the grocery store is getting worse, a new poll suggests, even as food inflation has been steadily cooling.
opinion Joe Biden uses bully pulpit to bully Donald Trump on debates
Donald Trump had spent weeks needling U.S. President Joe Biden for his refusal to commit to a debate. But Washington political columnist Eric Ham describes how in one fell swoop, Biden ingeniously stole the issue from the Trump campaign and made it his own.
Barbie will make dolls to honour Venus Williams, Christine Sinclair and other athletes
Barbie dolls will honour Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair and tennis champion Venus Williams, plus seven other athletes as part of a project announced by Mattel on Wednesday.
Ontario mother loses $2,500 to text scammer pretending to be daughter
An Ontario mother lost $2,500 to a scammer pretending to be her daughter asking for help in late April.
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
Local Spotlight
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada goose vs. fox fight on video
A Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
Beyond books: Halifax libraries lends instruments, sports equipment, memory kits and more
Public libraries in Atlantic Canada are now lending a broader range of items.
'A special bird': The unbreakable bond between purple martins and humans
Flashes of purple darting across the sky mixed with the serenading sound of songs will be noticed more with spring in full force in Manitoba.
7-year-old Pokémon prodigy heading to Hawaii for world championship tournament
Catching 'em all with impressive speed, a 7-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. who only started his competitive Pokémon journey seven months ago has already levelled up to compete at a world championship level.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
From DVDs to rehearsals: Halifax theatre company transforms Video Difference building into arts hub
2b Theatre recently moved into the old Video Difference building, seeking to transform it into an artistic hub, meeting space, and temporary housing unit for visiting performers in Halifax.
'Another pair of eyes watching over me:' How a B.C. woman's service dog saved her from drowning
A B.C. woman says her service dog pulled her from a lake moments before she had a seizure, saving her life.
Starbucks fan on decades-long journey to visit every store in the world
A Starbucks fan — whose name is Winter — is visiting Canada on a purposeful journey that began with a random idea at one of the coffee chain's stores in Texas.
'Sacred work': Sask. First Nation learning how to conduct its own underground searches
Members of Piapot First Nation, students from the University of Winnipeg and various other professionals are learning new techniques that will hopefully be used for ground searches of potential unmarked grave sites in the future.