Sad news out of Canada ... Wayne Gretzky's father, Walter Gretzky, has died after a battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 82.
"It's with deep sadness that Janet and I share the news of the passing of my dad," Wayne said in a statement late Thursday evening.
"He bravely battled Parkinson's and other health issues these last few years, but he never let it get him down."
"For me, he was the reason I fell in love with the game of hockey. He inspired me to be the best I could be not just in the game of hockey, but in life.