'I Thought He Was Bionic' Ed Snider's Grandson Discusses His Legacy
By Stephanie Stahl
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Following tonight's do or die game, there will be a memorial tomorrow at the Wells Fargo Center for Flyers founder Ed Snider, who died two weeks ago from cancer.
In an exclusive interview, Snider's grandchildren talk about his health battles and commitment to help others.
Ed Snider was a power-house, who will be remembered tomorrow not only as a business and community leader, but a passionate fan, and a loving father and grandfather.
He has six children and 15 grandchildren. One of them spoke about some special memories.
"This is when they won one of their cups," said Garrett Snider, giving a tour of his apartment.
Garrett's apartment is filled with memories of his grandfather Ed Snider, and his beloved team the Flyers.
"Being his grandson was the most beautiful experience of my life," he said. "He was always talking about integrity with me."
According to Garrett, his grandfather taught him some valuable lessons.
"He might have owned his hockey team for 50 years, but those 50 years can be erased by one lie or one bad decision and your reputation is all you have," Garrett said thinking about his grandfather. "It takes the longest to create and it takes very little to undo."
20-year-old Garrett is already following in his grandfather's footsteps , and has created a foundation all about giving back. It was the lesson learned from his superhero.
"When he was diagnosed with celiac disease he didn't freak out, he didn't get sad, he helped create the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness."
Garrett says when his grandfather was diagnosed with bladder cancer two years ago, he confronted it with dignity and bravery.
"His legacy is not that he wasn't scared, it was how he dealt with being scared," Garrett said. "The way that he handled that pain and that discomfort, I thought he was bionic, I've never seen anything like it."
Garrett said that when you asked his grandfather how he was feeling, he'd reply by saying, "I feel fine, I'm gonna beat it."
But he didn't and in the weeks since his death, at the age of 83, the tributes to Ed Snider have been pouring in.
"I think I'm gonna miss him my whole life, I can't believe we're talking about him in the past tense," Garrett said sadly.
Garrett says his grandfather had many proud accomplishments, one being the Snider Youth Hockey Foundation that helps under-served children, including getting them health checkups at temple.