Welcome to

www.danielhetu.com

- revised on February 27, 2023 -

Daniel had an extraordinary talent. He could listen to a piece of music, grasp all the subtleties at once and then write the scores for each instrument in one go. As an arranger, accompanist and conductor, the entire artistic community praised him. As an organist, pianist or keyboardist, he demonstrated extraordinary dexterity. He was literally one with the instrument, which somehow became an extension of him. As a singer, his soft and just voice has charmed tens of thousands of fans.

But beyond all his talents, there was the humble man. The intelligent and quick-witted man, who loved subtlety and puns. The naturally curious man who was interested in everything and always striving to learn and understand new things. The detail-oriented man who strived for excellence in everything he did and hated incompetence above all else. The genuine, honest and simple man who abhorred insignificance, hypocrisy, deceptive appearances and lies. The empathetic and humane man who knew and understood human suffering. The generous man of his time and his person who often had his heart on his sleeve. Daniel was all that and more. That's what I liked the most about him. Admittedly, I admired his musical talent, but the more I got to know him, the more the man seemed to me greater than the artist and the more I noticed that his authenticity, his liveliness, his generosity and his human qualities surpassed the sum of his talents yet remarkable.

I remember all those hours on the road spent discussing different aspects of life and his thoughts could be very profound. I also remember the evenings we spent talking and laughing around a table. Endowed with an innate humor, he always found puns, facial expressions, jokes and hilarious stories to make people laugh. He turned out to be an extraordinary "entertainer".

But his thunderous and contagious laughter hid a deep suffering. He had been deeply bruised by certain experiences, but also by lies, wickedness, hypocrisy, jealousy and betrayal. However, he had resigned himself to not giving up. He believed in happiness, if not for himself at least for others. When people were suffering around him, he did everything in his power to lighten the mood and the hearts of people by making them forget their worries, if only for a moment. A follower of laughter therapy, he was ready to do anything to see the sorrow fade from the faces of those he loved. In addition, he also knew very well how to find the words to comfort and encourage when needed.

Daniel was a basically good man, maybe even too much sometimes with people who weren't always worthy of him. Devoid of malice, his simplicity, his humanity, his authenticity, his generosity and his understanding of emotional suffering made him a precious friend, and an incomparable accomplice.

With his departure, Quebec lost one of its greatest talents and I lost a Friend and even more, I lost a Brother.

I hope that, like me, you will keep alive for a long time the memory of this extraordinary man who marked the lives of so many people with his immense talent, his generosity, his humor, his endearing personality and his kindness.