Chosen at the last minute and hailing from Toronto, Mr. DeMontis was without hotel accommodations in Vancouver.
“We didn’t even second guess the request”, says Anastosios Theodorpoulos, general manager of the Best Western Chateau Granville, “It’s an honor and a privilege to house an athlete of this calibre.” Mark played in the first ever blind hockey exhibition at Robson Square in Vancouver to very enthusiastic Paralympic crowds.
In the words of Mark “The comfort of the hotel & the quality of the service was outstanding. I was also very appreciative of the accessibility in the hotel and in particular, my room. The staff went above and beyond the call of duty, making sure I got to my many media & Paralympic events “on time” helping us with transportation, and giving us great directions. In addition the location of the Best Chateau Granville was fantastic, being downtown made it really easy to get to all of our events. “
The Best Western Chateau Granville currently houses several Paralympic teams as they compete for medals at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games.
ABOUT MARK DEMONTIS
Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, this 5’8” high school student found himself in the Hospital for Sick Children undergoing numerous tests and examinations weeks before his senior year began. During this period, Mark was diagnosed with a rare condition known as Leber’s Optic Neuropathy, an optic disease which left him legally blind. As a result, he has no central sight and can only rely on his peripheral vision, which includes shapes and shadows and a minor ability to capture details, including color, depth perception and the overall differentiation of people and objects. Mark’s story is compelling because before his diagnosis, he was a multi-talented individual looking forward to a remarkable future in both sports and athletics.
