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By Mo Cranker on October 31, 2016.

Seven-year-old Jacob Varney poses for a photo in his Gord Downie Halloween costume. The costume features feathers from the same peacock that Downie had on his hat for the band's final tour this summer. --SUBMITTED PHOTO Seven-year-old Jacob Varney poses for a photo in his Gord Downie Halloween costume. The costume features feathers from the same peacock that Downie had on his hat for the band's final tour this summer. --SUBMITTED PHOTO



mcranker@medicinehatnews.com

It’s probably safe to bet most seven-year-olds would not choose to dress as a 90’s rock legend for their Halloween costume of choice, but that’s exactly what Jacob Varney of Calgary did.

When his mother, and former Hatter Brianne Varney asked him what he wanted to wear to school as a costume, Jacob decided he would dress as Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie, after falling in love with the band during their Man Machine Poem tour this summer, and catching their final show on TV.

As Brianne and Jacob finished up his costume, which features metallic pants, a JAWS t-shirt and microphone, Brianne posted a picture of Jacob dressed up as Downie in a Tragically Hip Facebook group. Shortly after the post, Karyn Ruiz of Lilliput Hats in Toronto (the studio that designed Downie’s hat for the final tour) contacted her and offered to send her feathers from the same peacock Downie’s hat used, which Brianne accepted, but kept as a secret to Jacob.

“I had told Jacob that we had a surprise coming in the mail, but I didn’t tell him exactly what it was, so when he got it he was speechless.”

Alongside the peacock feathers was a purple feather, Jacob’s favourite.

“He just lit up like a light bulb,” she said. “I was so happy for him and for the costume.”

Brianne said she couldn’t believe the generosity of Ruiz.

“I was shocked,” she said. “This was truly a great random act of kindness from a complete stranger across the country all for a seven year old’s Halloween costume.”

Brianne says Jacob has a world of confidence in his costume, which is amplified by the feathers.

“He really just has a different attitude about him when he’s in his costume,” she said. “I think he recognizes all of the help we have gotten on this project from close family and from Karyn Ruiz and that makes him so happy.”

To finish up the costume Jacob is working to learn the lyrics to the Hip classic “Bobcaygeon,” so when he’s asked for a trick, he can deliver.