We are writing this story to honour Cliff Stacey, a well-known self advocate who lived in the Surrey area and who passed away earlier this year.
Many will recognize Cliff’s smiling face from the posters and videos of CLBC’s Start with Hi public awareness initiative. Originally launched in 2009, Start with Hi showed people across British Columbia that small, but important, actions like saying “Hi” can play a role in making communities safer and more welcoming of people with developmental disabilities.
Cliff was not only one of the public faces of the initiative, but also a proud and enthusiastic supporter. He attended events across the province as a spokesperson. This included paying a visit to Prince George, where he was born before moving to the Vancouver area at a young age. He was keen to share the message of starting with “Hi” with anyone he met, from the bus drivers he saw every day to provincial MLAs he met at community events. Cliff loved speaking with new people and making others around him feel welcome.
Cliff was also actively involved with self advocacy groups in his own community, and with BC People First, and encouraged others to get involved and get together to talk about challenges and celebrate successes. He came from a large family and was one of 11 siblings and also a proud father.
“I’ve learned a lot about the importance of making connections with people,” wrote Cliff in a story for this magazine back when it was called The Citizen. The importance of connecting with others was a value that Cliff embodied every day.
He will be missed by all those who had a chance to meet him, whether they shared years of friendship, or even just a “Hi.”
