Great dog. Chased every ball, bird and wave on the beach. Fought coyotes. Cuddled with her cat. Later in every puddle. Brought home pounds of mud, sand, and redwood leaves from every trail. Sniffed every sidewalk in Petaluma. RIP Paisley!! Hoping you’re running with Zumi now.
He was many things to many people. To me, he exemplified what it is to stay grounded, despite fame and success.
I witnessed a thoughtful, uplifting, intelligent, intense, funny, and considerate person.
Someone that took the time to talk to, and shake the hand of, an 11 year old little leaguer after a baseball game. I remember how my 11 year old hand was dwarfed by his as I looked up at him while we talked about the Raiders (his hand was as big as a Christmas ham:).
Someone that unapologetically ordered two steak dinners for his meal at the Boulder Creek country club.
Someone that brought major NFL superstars to a tiny mountain community for fundraising sporting events like Raiders vs. SLV Coaches basketball. Autograph signing afterwards for some big-eyed kids. I still have John’s fellow hall-of-farmers, Fred Biletnikoff, Art Shell, and others (I’ve got to say, though, that our own Coach Mercer clearly frustrated Biletnikoff and outplayed those guys all night long in front of a standing room only crowd in the SLVHS gym…a sight to be seen).
Thank you, John, for brightening our lives, and for reaching out to a kid. It mattered.
Go Mustangs!
