2018-01-04, Las Vegas NV.Today would have been the 60th birthday of my childhood friend, Creagan (Ed) McConnell. It’s hard to imagine that he’s been gone for almost three-years.
On a recent photo-walk I did one Saturday morning on the Las Vegas Strip I was reminded that that adventure might have been something that he would have enjoyed. Well, he probably wouldn’t have enjoyed the walking too much with his prosthetic leg, but he would enjoyed the sights. That kind of sums it up, it was often a pain, but there was always the knowing smile. That said, having known each other as long as we did, ours was an often rocky imperfect friendship that lapsed for various reason, living in different state since the mid-90s and then on opposite ends of the country during the last eight-years of his life didn’t really help. But going through the photos over the years, we did have some great fun, often in the company of friends we’d gone to Mission Viejo High School with. I think we thought we knew each other, but given the infrequent communication, I’m certain that I probably didn’t. And in the end it was our shared experience of prolonged illness and facing our own mortality that reconnected us in the end. My last conversation with him was when I was stuck in the Atlanta Airport for a boring “everything’s closed” New Year’s Eve layover on my way back to Orlando from my Christmas visit to California. And we talked about how we used to call our friend Jen in California after we’d been partying our brains out on New Years Eve at the Bird Cage Bar in Prescott, AZ. I don’t remember much else from the conversation, but I probably bitched about not being able to get even a decent beer to celebrate the new year and he probably said something about … “the next time I’m in the area…” Damn. There wasn’t a next time and I miss the old guy. Happy birthday, Creagan, and even though it’s not my custom to drink alone, I think it would be the right thing to do to have a shot of tequila in your honor. Oh, the stories we could tell…
You can find my previous mock-umentary on my friend here.Images used in the video can be viewed in the gallery below.
Image Catalog:
Click on any image to bring up larger view and to launch viewer:
1958-09 Creagan Edward Charles McConnell
6th Grade Ed McConnell (?)
1974 McConnell with Laurie
1976 McConnell – Wrestling
1986-12 NYE with Creagan
1986-12 NYE with Jennifer & Creagan
1986 post-reunion with Jennifer & Creagan
1987-01 Post-Xmas with MV5
1987-01 Post-Xmas with MV5
1988 creagan house party with denise west
1988 creagan house party with denise west
1988 creagan house party with jen bispo
1988 creagan house party with jen bispo
1991-01-04 McConnell Birthday
1991-01-10 Superbowl
1991-02-14 Valentine’s Day with Denise, Creagan & Michele
1991-03-18 Easter in MV
1991-03-28 Moving Day
1991-03-28 Moving Day
1991-05-08 Softball
1991-07-20 OC Fair with Creagan
1991-11-25 Thanksgiving in MV
1991-11-25 Thanksgiving in MV
1992-06-21 Father’s Day Picnic
1992-12-25 Creagan’s xmas gathering
1993-04-19 Magic Mountain with Creagan & Jenny
1993-10-31 McConnell Halloween Party
1993-12-25 McConnell xmas
1994-02 with Jennifer & Creagan
1994-03 Creagan’s Good-bye party with Creagan & Jennifer
1994-05-06 McConnell Tries to Leave MV
1994-08 Laughlin Weekend with Creagan & Jennifer
1994-08 Laughlin Weekend with Creagan & Jennifer
1994-08 Laughlin Weekend with Creagan
1994-08-04 OC Fair with Creagan & His Niece
1994-09 with Creagan
1994-09-06 Evening with Eva, Creagan & Jen
1994-09-08 Evening with Creagan & Jen
1994-12 xmas with Creagan & Merrilee
1995 with Jennifer & Creagan
1995-01-01 Prescott New Years Eve
1995-01-01 Prescott New Years Eve with Sloan
1995-01-01 Prescott New Years Eve
1996-07-20 MVHS Class of 1976 20th Reunion – Creagan & Jen Dancing
1996-07-20 MVHS Class of 1976 20th Reunion – Creagan yearbook guy
1997 Vegas couple
1997-01 Xmas with MV5
1998 Jen&McC – Hawaii
1998 Jen&McC – Prescott
1998 Mcc – Prescott with the folks
1998 New Years DJs
1998 New Years DJs
1998-02 Jenny Bispo’s 40th
1998-02 Jenny Bispo’s 40th
1998-07 Vegas – cheesecake t-shirt & polo models
1998-07 Vegas – creagan, silver dress and me
1998-07 Vegas – me, jen and creagan
1998-07 Vegas – voodoo cafe – cheers
1999-02-03 chillin in my studio – long beach with Jen & Creagan
