These two men were not only John’s friends, but also his advisors. They always took care of John, and he loved and trusted them.
Bruce handled most of John’s financial investments and has been a family friend for as long as I can remember. But where these two really got to know each other was on the open road. John took up cycling about 10-12 years ago, and when he did his buddy Bruce (Olympic Cyclist) was right behind him. From the beginning Bruce was right there pushing him (literally) and encouraging him.
“Shocked, disbelief, and always will wonder why? My most memorable impression of Big John was that after much training he finished the Derby and Thursday Crit race with so many seasoned racers. It was an impressive journey I shared with him in our sport, with no time outs or rest periods. He is missed and reflected on often.”
Also on his side was Denny McGorry, long-time friend and doctor. Forever John’s cheerleader, Denny was the “cool” friend (along with our brother-in-law, Chuck). They love concerts, craft beers, and the Philadelphia Eagles! A lifelong Eagles fan himself, and always up for a craft beer, I am certain that John lived vicariously through them. I know that Denny would say that he was a fan of John’s too. He shared these thoughts with me.
“I am sitting at my daughter’s Confirmation dinner when my phone buzzes. I silent it but then answer when it buzzes immediately again. On the other end was one of the most devastating and shocking calls I have ever received. John was gone. He had taken his own life. As his friend and also his physician, my brain reeled. This cannot be true. What did I miss? What did we all miss? I excused myself from the table as quickly as possible. Charlie asked, “Did you know of anything wrong? Was there anything we didn’t know?” I felt panicked and numb at the same time. This really can’t be happening. I wanted a redo. Can I just have him back for a few more questions? There were no obvious signs, were there? As did his friends, our office all knew John as a gregarious, upbeat guy who left us all smiling when he left the office. This has to be the wrong guy.
Disbelief led to a desire to understand. The answer is not an easy one to find. A very dark moment overtook his bright soul. If only he could have seen the wake of love and outpouring of emotion after his passing.
If only he could have seen how he brought so many of us together. If only.”
If you are depressed or anxious and are having thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 .
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