Walter Gretzky, father of NHL star Wayne Gretzky, dies at 82
Published 4:47 am Friday, March 5, 2021
TORONTO (AP) — Walter Gretzky, the father of hockey great Wayne Gretzky, has died. He was 82.
Wayne Gretzky said in a statement Thursday night that his father battled Parkinson’s disease and other health issues the past few years.
In his younger days, Walter Gretzky became a name himself, appearing with his famous son in commercials and emerging as a blue-collar symbol of a devoted hockey parent.
His celebrity status increased after making a remarkable recovery from a stroke suffered in 1991.
His recovery was chronicled in his autobiography, “On Family, Hockey and Healing,” and in a 2005 made-for-TV movie.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
