A loving daughter, animal advocate, and determined storyteller, Cindy Cherry leaves behind a powerful legacy with her final tribute to her father, Don Cherry
While hockey fans may know her as Don Cherry’s daughter, those closest to Cindy remember her as a passionate advocate for animal welfare and health causes. She was a founder of Don Cherry’s Pet Rescue Foundation, dedicating much of her life to saving and supporting animals in need.
At Tellwell, our Author of the Month features usually spotlight writers and their creative journeys. This month’s feature is a little different—and deeply special. It’s a tribute to Cynthia Margaret “Cindy” Cherry, an author, daughter, mother, and passionate advocate who left an indelible mark both in print and in life.
Cindy Cherry, the daughter of legendary hockey coach and media personality Don Cherry, passed away unexpectedly on July 15, 2024, at the age of 67. While the loss is felt profoundly by those who loved her, including her father Don, son Del, and brother Tim, it also reverberates through the Canadian literary and sports communities, who had only just begun to discover her voice through her debut book.
Cindy’s book, The Don Cherry Story, is not just another hockey biography. It’s an intimate, unfiltered, and fiercely loyal account of Don Cherry’s life as seen through the eyes of the person who perhaps knew him best. From his coaching days with the Boston Bruins to his decades-long tenure on Hockey Night in Canada, Cindy was there, taking notes and witnessing history unfold.
The book doesn’t shy away from controversy, including a candid account of her father’s highly publicized firing from Coach’s Corner in 2019. In a chapter titled “Poppygate,” Cindy offers her family’s side of the story, one of heartbreak, loyalty, and resilience.
More than a biography, the book is a love letter from a daughter to her father, and to the Canadian hockey culture that shaped them both. Released in April 2025, coinciding with the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the book quickly soared to the top of several Amazon.ca categories, reaching #1 in Hockey Biographies, Memoirs, and New Releases.
While hockey fans may know her as Don Cherry’s daughter, those closest to Cindy remember her as a passionate advocate for animal welfare and health causes. She was a founder of Don Cherry’s Pet Rescue Foundation, dedicating much of her life to saving and supporting animals in need. Inspired by a rescue dog named Lucy, Cindy’s compassion extended beyond words and into tireless action.
In her youth, she made a life-changing decision to donate a kidney to her brother Tim, a gesture emblematic of the selflessness that would define her life. Cindy also spent over a decade working with the Kidney Foundation of Canada, championing awareness and support for those battling kidney disease.
Cindy’s passing came just as she was preparing to release not one, but two books. While she didn’t live to see her work in readers’ hands, her son Del and the Cherry family made sure her dream was realized. A second book, planned for release this Christmas, will continue Cindy’s storytelling legacy.
As Del poignantly said, “This is her story, through her eyes.” And through her eyes, we’re invited not only to see Don Cherry as a national figure but as a father, a mentor, and a man deeply rooted in family tradition.
We honour Cindy Cherry not only as an author but as a woman of conviction, compassion, and courage. Her book reminds the importance of telling one’s truth, and to the enduring power of love, compassion, and loyalty.
In her memory, a portion of the proceeds from The Don Cherry Story will support Don Cherry’s Pet Rescue Foundation, ensuring that Cindy’s legacy of kindness lives on.
Cindy Cherry reminded us that stories matter, especially the ones told from the heart. At Tellwell, we’re proud to have been part of her publishing journey and to celebrate her as our Author of the Month.
