Designer Guys was their first TV show.

I heard this on the noon news and was shocked. I loved Designer Guys. This is so heart wrenching made all the worse by the fact that they were partners in business and in life. They have been together since 1988.

I'm sorry to hear this.

So sad to hear! I really enjoyed them and all of their shows.

In addition to being a great TV host I'm told he was just a wonderful guy IRL. He and Steven as a (very public) couple were fantastic role models for all and especially for young gay men and women inside and out of the entertainment industry in Canada. My heart just breaks for Steven and their families.

I was saddened to hear this today. I too loved Designer Guys and sometimes watched their show on CBC. He was a real class act.

I watched the Steven and Chris on Livewell network. Rest in peace Chris. This is so sad.

One of my favorite poems, too, Lynn. Memorized it in high school and think of it every time I hear of a death-"any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind..."

I loved Steven and Chris and was recently watching their older shows. They were so great together, and I hope Steven will be okay. I thought they personified the ying and yang thing.

This came up yesterday morning on my news feed, but I don't know who he is (until this thread). It sounds like a shock to many and that he will be missed. :(

Tina, I don't know that their shows have been on TV here in U.S. for several years. The Designer Guys was my favorite. I often caught up on Steven and Chris online, as DISH did not carry. I hope they leave the shows online so others can watch. I think they were still doing the show.

Iowacommute, they certainly were! Steven is quite reserved and Chris was always smiling and laughing. I'm sure he is devastated.

Just read an article that stated his most likely his cause of death was sleep walking. Sleep walking, of all things! It was his mother's first thought when she heard, knowing he was a chronic sleepwalker.

Christopher Hyndman's obituary in today's The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail.

"With shattered hearts, the family and friends of Christopher Hyndman are mourning the loss of our cherished “beautiful boy”.

With his lifelong partner Steven Sabados, Christopher shared an extraordinary 27 year adventure of laughter, fun, professional success but above all else, a magical unbending love.

In Christopher’s world, beauty could be found everywhere. In the perfume of ocean air, in the cut of a suit, the construction of a high Louboutin heel, the harmonious design of a room or a simple meal prepared from scratch by Steven.

Those who knew him best understood these truths.

Christopher’s charisma, his curiosity, wicked wit and that dazzling smile — lit up rooms, elevated heavy hearts and because he and Steven understood, together, they had a profound influence and impact on so many, Christopher was always seeking to understand better, the complexities of our human existence. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than knowing he had, in some way, shifted someone’s life for the better, changed a rigid point of view, or showed a struggling teenager in some remote town somewhere in Canada, that being LGBTQ was cause for celebration and pride.

During his too short life, Christopher was our blazing comet, our Fire Horse. Now we know his fire and its power has not been extinguished.

For all of us who knew and loved him dearly, Christopher is with us in heart and spirit; now and forever.

Christopher is also survived by his mother Glenda Hyndman, his father Ted Purnell and a large extended family of relatives and friends.

A public celebration of life will take place at a future date. If you should wish, donations to The Red Door or The Tommy Sexton Shelter would be deeply appreciated."

Wow. That is one touching obit. This story just breaks my heart. I remember when I first started getting interested in home design, and watching steven on Marilyn Dennis and then steven and Chris. He had such a positive energy. You just couldn't help laughing with him.

Can you imagine what Heaven must look like now with Chris up there.

How did he pass?

He was a chronic sleep walker. He went out on their penthouse terrace and fell into the ally.

Lovely obit. I read it this morning but have been busy today. Thanks for posting, Robo.

What a wonderful obituary, to what sounds like a wonderful, very talented man. Thanks for sharing that with us. He was a chronic sleepwalker? Oh my gosh, that is so frightening. And what a tragic end.

I knew a guy like that when I was growing up. He was my brother's best friend and a neighbor of ours. Our parents were good friends, so we were all aware that Joe had a sleepwalking problem. But we didn't realize how big of a problem it was until The Event happened. When Joe was about 9 years old, the police found him sitting on steps of our grade school at 3 o'clock one Sunday morning. He was completely dressed for school with his backpack on his back and had walked the mile to our school in his sleep. When the patrol car found him, he was still in that sleep walking state, sitting there waiting for school to start, thinking that it was 9AM on a school day morning. That's when his parents realized that this was a major problem. They had to put locks at the top of every door and window so that Joe couldn't get out easily while asleep again. I've always wondered whatever happened to Joe, and if he ever overcame that scary sleepwalking problem of his. A chronic condition like that must be frightening to deal with.

I know that some might believe it was suicide, but I really do believe it might have been accidental sleepwalking, as his mother suspects. My son lives in his neighbourhood and the building is only 6 stories high. That's obviously high enough to jump from to commit suicide, but some have suffered critical injuries from that height, yet still survived. A friend of mine unfortunately lost her son to suicide, but he went to the building next to his, which was taller than his own, to ensure his death, sadly. I also don't believe Chris would just decide to get out of bed with his partner sleeping, and risk he might wake up and see him, if he wanted to end his life in private. Lynn, I hope your childhood neighbour has outgrown his sleepwalking problem or learned some way to solve it. Chris had such a sad ending to such a vibrant life.

regardless of the cause, 'sleepwalking' is a much more palatable cause of death for his loved ones/mom, I'm sure..... whatever the reason for his fall, it's tragic.

There was an article that said sleepwalking was his mothers first thought when she was told of his death. Steven often found Chris sitting at the kitchen table eating in the middle of the night. Chris wouldn't remember his sleepwalking episodes. In this day and age, suicides are announced, not shamefully hidden. I don't remember if it was his mother or someone else in the article that said they hoped chronic sleepwalking would be taken more seriously for what it is - a danger to those that suffer.

That is so sad. My mother started sleep walking when she started taking Ambien and it was the scariest thing for our family.

I had never heard of Chris but I can tell he was a special person indeed by reading your posts.

Lynn, I love that poem.

RIP Mr. Hyndman.

I disagree... even in this day and age there still is very much stigma, shame, denial, anger, etc etc associated with suicide...

as far as I know, they haven't published what caused his fall... (I am not saying he committed suicide, but I would question whether sleepwalking would cause someone to climb railing and jump off a balcony... that's much different than having a late night snack or going for a walk late at night outside...)

I never knew of either of these two people before, but I actually came across their decorating show on TV the other day while channel surfing. It was surreal seeing the deceased man as if nothing had happened. I mean, it was strange they continued to air the program.

I didn't say there wasn't a stigma or shame, denial or anger for those left behind. I suppose they will release any findings. Here are a couple of articles I read:

Article One

Article Two

Steven Sabados has launched his new website and furniture/lighting line. S & C

I know how this sounds and it has taken me 7 years to write this publicly. I had often thought of contacting Steven but whatever would he think of me?

I did not know much about Steven and Chris had only watched their show a few times.

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Steven so serious and Chris quite the opposite. I remember him making faces behind Steven's back in the show. They were great together.

Ok here goes and as God is my witness this is whole heartedly true and fact.

The " night " Chris died I was dreaming about him from watching one of their shows.

I had been wanting to redecorate my apartment,

In the dream I had told him I really liked him and wanted him to help me re do my apt. but I had little money.

He answered me loud and clear: " I can't help you I'm dead!"

It was so clear and pronounced I woke up immediately. Sat straight up in my bed.

I looked at the clock ( wish now I could say the exact time ). I said to myself it is the middle of the night. it was just a dream, I went back to sleep.

imagine my shock when I turned on my computer the next morning, and there on the front page he was found dead the night before.

Even writing this now bothers me to the core of my being my soul.

Why would of he come to me of all people and tell me he was dead?

The only explanation I can tell my self all these years is:

At that very time "I was" The only one thinking/dreaming of him."

Some how through that he was able to connect to me.

He never did again. I am now 65 years old. I have never told anyone this except my Daughter.

I am now finally letting this go and fly through the wind as I believe he did.

It hurts still, even now writing this.