RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . .

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

There was a thread / post a few weeks back that addressed this, but I think Tripp is the first board member of any real standing to join the Forum Eternal.

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

Foot, I hate to disagree with you, but the sheer number of users here that post regularly, I think this might have happened before, but we as a group never knew.

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

That's why I said anyone "of any real standing." That is, a sustained presence on the board.

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

I remember this fella's screen name, as a poster here and there.
Don't remember much about his politics or viewpoints.
I'm just not that active on the board.
But if he was indeed a solid person, who had tolerance of others, then that's a good thing.
This board could use less personal attacks, post-padding and vitriolic combat.

I did not know you, but wish you the best in whatever afterlife you might have passed to.
And condolences to the family who might read this.
RIP Tripp

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

Last Thursday evening, I stopped home briefly in the middle of running errands to print something off the computer. And while I waited, I fed my habit and checked SportsJournalists.com.

And promptly got punched in the gut.

I wouldn't have known Tripp -- James -- if he passed me on the street. Nor would he have known me, for that matter. But like so many others did after his post about his grandfather's passing, I sent him a PM of support.

As I continued on my errands around my small backwoods town, I felt numb. Empty. I was hating myself for not taking the time to respond to the thank you PM he sent me. I was trying not to cry, realizing that someone I knew from words on a computer screen only was no longer with us.

What was wrong with me, it's not like I knew the guy or anything!

And with that phrase, as I passed the home of my neighbor's former father-in-law, who'd passed away the previous week, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

SportsJournalists.com is not like a tavern or bar, as some have posted in the past. This is our own little cyber town. There's the nosy neighbors, the ones who keep to themselves, the ones who are always on hand to lend a helping hand, the moderators who act as a defacto town board.

Or sheriff's department, take your pick.

There's the cliques, there's the ones who bounce around and like everyone. There's the feuds, there's the love.

More caring than any of us probably realize.

In so many ways this crazy board we call home is like a small town. There are those who leave -- I'm getting out of this one-horse town -- but have to come back, because cyber space or reality, there really is no place like home.

That's why James' death has hit so many of us. In a small town, you may not know someone personally, but it's an almost sure thing that you know someone who does, or someone who's related or you at least probably heard of that person.

In this case, maybe some of us hadn't gotten to know him very well, but we knew his online persona of Tripp McNeely. We knew he was there.

And now he's gone. Not taking a break. Not signing in under a new name.

But gone.

I add my prayers and condolences to the many already offered. For peace and healing for his friends and family, that they can find the ability to smile and laugh about the good times through the tears of sadness. From the tributes offered by those who had the honor of knowing him in the real world, it sounds like there'll be lots of good times to hold on to.

And I pray that James has been reunited with his beloved grandfather, and they're having a giggle about not being apart too long.

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

Wonderful words, Rosie.

Thought I'd put up a link to Press-Telegram columnist/reporter Frank Burlison's column today (7-1-08) which is all things basketball, but leads off with a story about James and Jordan High School in Long Beach.

http://www.presstelegram.com/moresports/ci_9754708

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

By the way, James' current favorite wrestler, CM Punk, won his first title in the WWE, after toiling down, jobbing to ham-and-eggers.

Methinks he might be doing some booking from the heavens!

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

Rosie, you always know the right thing to say. It got dusty in the newsroom for a moment there.

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

Well said Rosie.

Nice story Frank. . . that;s why you are doing what you're doing.

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

My condolences go out to each of James' friends, coworkers and relatives.

In reading through this thread, it seems like he was a superb human being and was fortunate indeed to have had the respect he had, and the positive attitude it took to live life to its fullest despite his physical condition.

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

I had a busy week and didn't post for a few days and completely missed all of this. Very sad.

RIP

 

Re: RIP (the poster known as) Tripp McNeely . . . he passed away Wednesday

Meltzer had this brief item in this week's issue of the Wrestling Observer:

James Melroy, a long-time reader who was the MMA reporter for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, passed away on 6/25 at the age of 36. Melroy, who had been confined to a wheelchair most of his life, was a huge ROH and PWG fan.

I met him at a UFC events show last year and he was very nice. His grandfather, who was like a father to him, passed away a week before. His mother said that the belief was his disability had nothing to do with his death. The newspaper, where he worked since 1997, ran a glowing story about him, noting his disability didn’t stop him from becoming a sports reporter, an Eagle Scout and played wheelchair rugby. He had written the obituary for his grandfather, Eugene Sonye, which ran the day of his death, and had just changed his professional name to James Sonye, to honor him.

Melroy was born with a rare congenital disorder, Arthrogryposis, which causes joint contractions and muscle weakness. He was editor of the school newspaper at Long Beach City College before moving to the Press-Telegram and the story noted his passion for MMA. He pushed the newspaper to regularly cover MMA. Sports editor Jim McCormack said Melroy was the reason the paper covered the sport. “When he started advocating (covering MMA), we let him because of his credibility and (he) deserved the opportunity.” His MMA coverage would get tremendous response on the newspapers’ web site.