Fabbri and Ayer convinced Donohue to make the three-hour drive south to Calgary — Ayer’s hometown — to work on the program at the rink where it all started for him at the Glencoe Club. Now, here is where this story brings out all the warm and fuzzies in the 27-year-old Ayer, who got emotional sharing it all.
“For the first time in our career, we went to Calgary for choreography. I’m probably going to tear up throughout this (conversation), but’s it’s where I’m from. My family’s there, and my mom and brother would come watch us kind of build the program, which was a first for them,” he said. “I was able to see my dad often, who suffers from Alzheimer’s; he’s in a home. So to be able to be in the city and every few days be able to visit and have not only my brother and my mom, but my extended family watch us create this program is something that I’ll cherish forever.”