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The Tenors, Victor Micallef, Clifton Murray and Richmond’s Fraser Walters (pictured) will perform at Richmond Hospital Foundation’s sold-out Starlight Gala fundraiser Oct. 14 at the River Rock Casino Resort.

Damien D. via Flickr

Tenors’ Fraser Walters has deep appreciation for Richmond Hospital

By Don Fennell

Published 12:46 PDT, Wed October 11, 2017

Last Updated: 2:12 PDT, Wed May 12, 2021

Fraser Walters’ relationship to Richmond Hospital dates back to his days growing up the city.

“I remember visiting the emergency room on occasion for stitches, when either my brothers or friends and I got carried away at the playground or playing sports,” says one-third of the vocal group The Tenors who will be performing Oct. 14 at the Richmond Hospital Foundation’s sold-out Starlight Gala fundraiser at the River Rock Casino Resort.

Walters developed a deeper appreciation for the hospital as a 21-year-old student-athlete studying music at UBC. A few hours after a soccer game, he came down with a sudden, and serious, heart issue (atrial fibrillation) that all but ended his collegiate soccer and track careers.

“Although a difficult period for me personally, including ablation procedures, I will never forget the care I was provided by the doctors, nurses and staff at Richmond Hospital,” he says. “Ever since that time, I have been acutely aware of the importance of immediate treatment and I’ll be forever grateful for the entire Richmond Hospital community.”

Walters says although The Tenors have been invited to perform at “many great events around the world, there is nothing better than singing in front of a hometown audience with which you have a deep relationship.”

“We all look forward to those evenings,” he says. “(This) is definitely one of those for me.”

Consisting of Canadians Walters, Victor Micallef and Clifton Murray, the Juno Award-winning vocal group has been thrilling audiences around the world with their powerful songs and outstanding harmonies. Blending classical music and contemporary pop, the multi-platinum selling Tenors have achieved international success, showcasing their undeniable charm and diverse vocal styles performing over 1,000 shows on five continents.

They have had the honour of sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in music including Sir Paul McCartney, Sarah McLachlan, Sting, Neil Young, Andrea Bocelli, Elton John, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and David Foster. They have also made 150 television appearances including The Oprah Winfrey Show with Celine Dion and Primetime Emmy Awards Broadcast.

The Starlight Gala is Richmond Hospital Foundation’s signature black tie gala. With close to 500 guests, the Starlight Gala raised nearly half a million dollars in 2016—and more than $5 million since its inception.

“At some point, healthcare impacts everyone along their life’s journey,” says Lynn Walters, who is the 2017 Starlight Gala committee chair. “I guess it was a natural progression to give back in some way to my profession of caring for others.”

Involved in healthcare for 42 years, choosing operating room nursing as her career, she says there is an incredible community of donors, sponsors, supporters and volunteers who care passionately about Richmond Hospital.

For the first time, there are dual Leadership Award recipients—Diane Dupuis and Anna Nyarady. Each is being recognized for their incredible contributions over nearly 30 years, dating back to the early years of the Richmond Hospital Foundation. Each is an exemplary leader and role model, both inspiring others to continue to what they started and help improve the lifesaving care we rely on.