The condolences continue to pour in for Christopher “Abbo” Abbott, the man behind the puffin suit.
Abbott may not have been a household name, but he was was famous throughout the province as his alter ego, Buddy the Puffin, a mascot that spread smiles to young and old alike.
A former St. Pat’s Dancer, Abbott first donned the puffin suit for the St. John’s Maple Leafs back in the early 1990s.
Not only was he a fixture at hockey and basketball games, but he made frequent appearances at the Janeway Children’s hospital, charity events, and schools with Buddy’s Book Club.
He was also a hit at the annual St. John’s Downtown Santa Claus parade.
Condolences on Abbott’s passing are pouring in from across the country and range from the sporting world, to politics to ordinary fans.
Newfoundland Growlers COO, Glen Stanford, says Abbott had the ability to ignite child-like wonder.
Stanford says he could both connect with children, and make adults feel like a kid again. He says many times when they would go into schools, the teachers would be the first lined up for a picture with Buddy. He says Abbott had a special connection with the community that he worked hard to forge.
St. John’s Sports and Entertainment and St. John’s city council are among the many expressing sadness at the sudden passing of Chris Abbott.
Abbott was a long-time employee of the City of St. John’s, having started at Memorial Stadium working concessions, before moving to a security/usher position and then into maintenance. His father Wally was a long-time employee of Memorial Stadium as well.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Mayor Danny Breen says Abbott excelled in his maintenance position and loved his work and his team. Since 1994, Abbott entertained, hugged and high-fived tens of thousands of children and sports fans as Buddy the Puffin.
Mayor Breen is sending his condolences to Abbott’s wife, friends, colleagues and fans.
The Newfoundland comedy troupe The Outhouse, who filmed a feature with Abbott just a few weeks ago, are also sending their condolences on his passing.
Former Premier and the former CEO of the St. John’s Ice Caps, is remembering Chris Abbott as a man who brought smiles to people’s faces, not only through the character he played, but in his everyday life as well.
Danny Williams says Abbo was a special person who helped to put St. John’s on the map.
He describes Abbott as fun-loving, genuine and kind, attributes he brought to a character that became one of the best known mascots in North America.
Williams recalls that Abbo, who was already working for the city and had “moves like Jagger,” was a shoe-in for the role as Buddy the Puffin. Williams remarks that while children can often get spooked by mascots, Abbott brought a warmth to the character that children loved.
Let’s go Buddy! @Buddy_ThePuffin pic.twitter.com/ouUfb4zWZ2
— Northeast Eagles U11A (@U11AEagles) November 19, 2021
Williams says Abbott’s work off the ice was as important as that during the games, attending countless charitable events. Not only that, says Williams, but Abbott was also an exceptional athlete.
He says watching Buddy walking the rails at the Mary Brown’s Centre in a heavy and warm costume with limited visibility takes extraordinary athletic skill.
Williams suggests that Abbott and Buddy the Puffin be remembered in the rafters of the Mary Brown’s Centre.
The Newfoundland Growlers family mourns the heartbreaking passing of Chris Abbott.
The impact that Chris had on the community is truly immeasurable, we will deeply miss his innate ability to connect with people and make them smile. pic.twitter.com/NnbBYOkZc4
— Newfoundland Growlers (@NLGrowlers) February 1, 2022