I"m sure you've all heard if him, he's been called the savior of Pittsburgh. Its Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh's 21st century hero. A man that started playing for a little hockey town and ended up saving the city of Pittsburgh just by playing hockey and doing what he loved. A man that could skate from end to end and score unassisted in a heartbeat. Lemieux has done many remarkable things in his life from starting off as a little Canadian to becoming a Pittsburgh Penguin and the savior of this town. Mario has made a tremendous effect on hockey from his background to his remarkable god given talent and has made an excellent role model with five very unique qualities. Mario's background, skill, awards, family, and his strive towards perfection have made him the player he is today.
Mario was born in Montreal Canada and grew up playing hockey. "Since the beginning, I always loved the game. When you grow up in Montreal, one day you want to be a professional hockey player. When I was six or seven I knew that was what I wanted"(Pittsburgh Post Gazette). From the age of about 6 Mario knew what he wanted to do in his life and he had a true passion. He was going to be a profession hockey player and that what he was gone do in his life. Lemuix worked hard, and he ended up getting picked in the first round by the Pittsburgh Penguins June 19, 1984. Not knowing any English at all Lemieux was fostered by a Mt. Lebanon family Tom and Nancy Matthews. "You only had to meet him once to fall in love with him. When you're a mother, you take one look at that face and you realize that he's shy and in another country and you just want to step in and help." Said Nancy. .
Mario entire life can be described really in his first game. The first time Mario stepped on the ice, he got the puck and scored. First shot, first shift, the red flag that there was something special here went off all around the world. No longer was there any talk of Wayne Gretzky.
