Hayden graduated from The University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He then moved to Windsor where he attended the University of Windsor and completed his Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree. He went even further with his business studies in Windsor, completing his MBA, where he graduated at the top of his class. He was offered an unbelievable job at Ford Motor Company and worked there the summer of 1991, with hopes to continue there after graduation. Ultimately, however, Hayden decided that he loved school too much, so he decided to embark on a career as a lawyer. He chose to go back to the University of Windsor to get his law degree.

Hayden met Robyn in 1988 and they married in 1992, just before he started Law School. Robyn’s family loved Hayden from the moment they met him and the feeling was mutual. He fit in so perfectly. He completed his first and second year at the University of Windsor. For third year, he moved back to Toronto to complete his degree at Osgoode Hall, where he graduated in 1995.

Hayden’s career at Aird & Berlis started when he accepted a summer job in 1994. He was offered jobs at many Toronto firms, but deep down knew that Aird & Berlis was his best fit. After completing Law School and Articling, Hayden was called to the Ontario Bar in February 1997. He then began his career at the place he would call home for the next twenty-three years. He built up an incredibly successful commercial real estate practice. His clients, associates and partners became his close friends, and his friends and family became clients. Sharon Chick was Hayden’s right hand for over 20 years and he knew she was invaluable. She was a part of his family and still is. Although Hayden’s practice primarily centred around Commercial Real Estate, he would always say he did “fix it law”; his clients and friends would come to him with a problem, and he would do whatever it took to fix it.

In May of 1996 Robyn and Hayden welcomed their first child, Max, who was the light of Hayden’s life. He was fortunate that during his Bar Admissions courses he could spend a lot of time at home during the first seven months of Max’s life. During these formative years, the Solomons family lived on Heath Street in Toronto. This location was important to Hayden, as once he started work, he was close enough to home so that the time saved he’d otherwise spend commuting was instead spent on quality time with his son, which he loved more than anything.

In June of 1999, Robyn and Hayden welcomed their second child, a little girl named Halle. From day one she had Hayden wrapped around her finger; daddy’s little girl to put it mildly. Halle shares some of Hayden’s greatest qualities: his sense of humour, his smile, and his larger-than-life personality.

In December of 2018, Hayden was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. He had surgery in January 2019 and was in the hospital for 5 days, after which he came home to recover. Hayden’s biggest complaint was that he couldn’t work as he was on heavy morphine. Late in February, Hayden went for his pathology results and was told that one lymph node had a few cancerous cells. Out of an abundance of caution, he decided to undergo radiation treatment. He had head and neck radiation for six weeks, 5 days a week and while it was extremely hard on him, he never complained and was always trying to make light of the situation.

In December of 2019, Hayden took his family on the trip of a lifetime to Israel. Hayden and Robyn had never been but had always dreamed of sharing their first experience in Israel with Max and Halle, who had previously travelled to the “homeland” through Birthright and the March of the Living. They were lucky enough that their Aunty Simmy and Uncle Bobby and their cousins Gillian, Jordan, Jayden, Logan, Jennifer, Kevin, Benjamin and Sophie were there with them too. While this trip became an even more cherished memory considering the events that followed, Hayden thrived in Israel.

Hayden was the most wonderful husband, father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend. He put everyone else’s needs above his own and would give the shirt off his back for anyone who needed it. Hayden managed to grow a thriving practice while still making time for his family. It didn’t matter what Hayden had on his plate, he was there to help Max and Halle whenever they needed it, even if it required staying up into the wee hours of the morning (although he was famously a morning person). For academics in particular, Hayden would always offer to edit essays and papers, leading to his now infamous “red pen edits”. He cared so deeply about the well-being of his children and did whatever he could to help them succeed. When Hayden was in Princess Margaret for six weeks during the Pandemic, that still did not stop him. He and the kids were in constant contact over FaceTime making sure they were ok and doing whatever he could to support them, even if he could not physically be with them. He was so selfless.

On August 2nd, 2020, Hayden passed away after courageously fighting a 20-month battle. He had so many unfortunate complications that he sadly succumbed to. Throughout his battle, he always stayed positive and did his best to make everyone around him smile and laugh despite the circumstances. He was a diamond of a human that left a massive hole in this world. A quote that was shared during Robyn’s eulogy for Hayden summed him up beautifully: “People may forget what you did and what you said, but they will never forget the way you made them feel.”

Hayden was loved by all who knew him whether it was family, friends, clients or absolutely anyone he came into contact with. Hayden’s commitment to Israel and Jewish Education was something he held in very high regard, which is why both Max and Halle went to Jewish Day School from nursery through High School.

ICRF has and always will be very important to The Solomons Family. The research that is done in Israel is like nowhere else in the world. Hayden and his family believe so strongly in this amazing organization. He shared this dream with everyone, that this dreadful disease should be eradicated forever. So, for Hayden, let’s do this and support this amazing cause!