A prayer for Van McKenzie

If this is indeed the end, I hope it's as painless as possible.

 

Van wasn't just old school. He knew this business. My prayers go out to him and his family. He touched many who scroll and troll these threads.

 

Terribly sorry to hear that. His son made a brief foray into photography at our little shop before going into law enforcement.

 

My favorite thing to do when I got to the racetrack is to find Ed Hinton and let him tell me stories. Any stories.

I don't know Van McKenzie and I fear I never will. But Ed had me convinced after 45 beautifully-spun minutes the Saturday before the Indy 500 that Van was the greatest sports editor that ever lived and damned-near the nicest person you could meet.

 

A few months ago, Dave Kindred posted here that I helped him put Van in touch with an old friend, which is true. But oddly, I never met Van, and I'm sorry that it appears I never will. Everything I've heard over the years has been good, including from people who were support staff, not journalists, which says a lot, I think.

 

Threads like this are heartbreaking, but they're plenty good, too. I don't know Van, but I hope that he gets whatever he wants out of the next little while.

 

I had the privilege of working for Van, who could appear intimidating -- especially in the winters when he'd wear that full beard. But he is, in reality, a gentle giant. A more down-to-earth gentleman you will not find. And, man, he loved his job, which made it all that much easier for us to do ours.

And Dave was correct about Van's spirit being in the middle of the department even when he physically could not be. He was gone on his first day of a well-deserved vacation the day The National folded and, once the shock wore off about what had just happened, you could feel Van's pain in that room.

Kind of like we're all feeling these past few days.

 

Van is one of the finest people I've ever known. I'll always love him and cherish the time I was able to spend with him these last few months. He has an incredible spirit and every time I'm around him, he never ceases to leave me with some nugget of wisdom I didn't expect. Van saw something in me that I didn't even see in myself, and I'll always be grateful. He stood by me during some difficult times and I feel blessed to know him because it's such a rarity in this business that you meet people that are genuine, true and honest. You always know where you stand with Van, and with most people, that just isn't the case.

Dave, kudos to you for beginning this thread. You are a great friend, Obi Wan.

 

Old School in all the right ways, and anything but Old School in all the right ways at the same time. That's a unique talent. Never afraid to try an idea. I never got to work with him directly, but I observed his work with awe -- and more than a small degree of envy -- from across the newsroom and as a reader for several years. Peace, man.

 

I've told this story a few times, so I don't mind telling it again:

Van is the reason I got into this business, though I didn't know it at the time. I grew up in Atlanta and started reading the Journal, as well as the Constitution, back when Van was the sports editor there. I devoured those sections everyday after school. His sections inspired me to become a journalist. I admire his vision, and his confidence.

One of my biggest thrills was meeting him while I was working in Florida.

I was fortunate enough to get to hang out with him a few times at APSE functions. I'll miss those times.

Prayers are with the McKenzie family, as well as the Sentinel.