Spencer Nolan MacKay

Despite being small in stature, Spencer was truly Bigger than life, a miracle child and an enormous inspiration to everyone who crossed his path. Spencer’s bubbling personality, cheerful outlook, positive attitude and infectious belly laugh brought joy to any room he entered.

Spencer will be missed every day by his Mom, Rebecca MacKay, his Dad, Jeff Orr, his adoring brothers, Jonathon (Steff) and Graham (Morgan) Orr, his half sister, Angela (Dan) Flesch, his doting “Nana”, Carol MacKay, his loving aunts, Michelle (Mark) and Shawna (Rodger), his great uncle, Terry (Barb), his first cousins, Matthew, Zachary and Caleb, his extended family, his long time caregiver, friend and confidant, Pati Elford and his many, many friends. Spencer was predeceased by his dear Papa, his great grandmother and favourite opponent in a game of cards, “Gam” and his Nanny Orr.

To say Spencer was inspiring is a huge understatement. From his very first breath, Spencer was faced with unimaginable health challenges and had to be airlifted from Amherst, Nova Scotia, to the IWK Hospital in Halifax. It was there that Spencer spent the first 18 months of his life, overcoming unbelievable medical issues, with his Mom by his side at every moment making sure he received the best care possible. Spencer’s fighting spirit, his infectious personality and the love and support of his family helped him battle every crisis and setback, eventually being able to finally go home and begin a “normal” life. Through the many obstacles ahead and hundreds of checkups and appointments, Spencer soon became the face of the IWK and a friend to all of the staff. It was during this time that Spencer, with the help and encouragement of his Mom, learned to Give Back. He soon became synonymous with the annual IWK Telethon, always sharing a heartwarming interview with host, Steve Murphy.

In 2004, Spencer’s dream of a family came to fruition when his Mom met Jeff, Jonathon and Graham. Spencer immediately bonded with his brothers and his was so proud and happy to be able to share his life with them.

In 2005, Spencer was named Champion Child for Nova Scotia by the Children’s Miracle Network. As part of the honour, Spencer joined other Champions from across Canada, flying to Ottawa to attend Parliament and meeting the Prime Minister, before heading south to Disneyworld.

In 2021, Spencer lost his adoring and ever loving “Papa”, Edward MacKay. Besides his Mom, Papa was Spencer’s biggest inspiration, sharing his love of Live theatre. As a young boy, Spencer would create his own plays and live theatre at home, or as he called it, “doing a show”. Spencer’s passion for theatre eventually expanded to movies, TV shows and a lifelong dream to be a successful director in Hollywood. He would spend hours at the family computer, creating stories and eventually moving on to screenwriting. Spencer’s family, friends and everyone who knew him would marvel at his huge heart, his compassion, his limitless ideas and his steadfast determination to “make it” despite all of his setbacks and challenges along the way.

Thanks to his grandparents, Spencer was able to make many trips to NYC, where he would enjoy dozens of plays and musicals, while meeting and inspiring many famous actors and celebrities on both sides of the border. His love of movies also led Spencer to his job at Bayers Lake theatres, where he inspired even more people with his passion for life and great sense of humour.

After graduating from Halifax West High School, Spencer continued his dream of filmmaking by attending and graduating from the film program at NSCC. With the help of his many new friends there, Spencer’s boyhood dream of bringing his scripts to the screen became a reality. Spencer would go on to write and direct several short films, including “Same Nightmare” which was featured at the Nova Scotia Film Festival. But that was only the beginning. Spencer had endless ideas and projects in the works, constantly at his laptop, with his tiny fingers frantically trying to keep up with his wide imagination. Despite not being a drinker, Spencer would often join his friends in the film industry at the bar leading to some very comical adventures and nights to remember. Spencer also adored stand-up comedy and developed routines and performed at various venues in Halifax, as well as the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. He was a true original.

Throughout his life, Spencer continued to give back to the IWK, inspiring all Nova Scotians. Along his journey, Spencer was the proud recipient of many awards for both his filmmaking and his “giving back”. In 2010, Spencer was a recipient of the Power of Positive Change Award by the Premier.

A Celebration of Life for Spencer will be held Friday, December 6th at JA Snow Funeral Home on Lacewood Drive in Halifax. In lieu of flowers, donations will be accepted for the IWK Foundation on Spencer’s behalf, or another charity of your choice.

We miss you “little man” and you’ll be forever in our hearts. Pinky swear.