caudio51
BoM Nov '05; Mar '06
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/13445696.htm
Wayne Gretzky's mother dies at 64
Associated Press
TORONTO - Phyllis Gretzky, the mother of hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, died Monday night. She was 64.
She was diagnosed with lung cancer late in 2004 and died two nights after her son took an indefinite leave of absence as coach of the Phoenix Coyotes to return home to Ontario to be with her.
"Throughout my career, she was in the background but she was the glue," Wayne Gretzky said at the time of his mother's diagnosis. "She's always been the toughest in the family."
Gretzky, the NHL's career leading scorer, left the Coyotes on Saturday night in Los Angeles.
He also is the executive director of Canada's Olympic hockey team, which is expected to announce its roster for the Turin Games on Wednesday.
It is not known when or if he will return to those jobs.