The veranda’s red brick facade provides shade on a serene morning. Lemieux is prepared, having placed two small bottles of water on an end table that sits between a small sofa and a deck chair. In just a few seconds, it is very clear that, in building this immaculate terrace that overlooks a sprawling backyard complete with a small pool and a putting green, he has missed no detail. Lemieux reaches out his big right mitt for a handshake. His 11-year-old chocolate lab, Tara, ambles around. Water springs from a sun-drenched fountain. Inside, behind the towering green shrubs and ivy-covered brick walls that fortify his home, Mario Lemieux is waiting on the veranda.Ĭlimbing the steps, there is so much to take in. The friendly voice over the speaker says to come in, and the black iron gate rises and retreats.
Brady McCollough | Pittsburgh Post-GazetteĬHAPTER 1: The Evolution of Mario Lemieux
