I drove to Marion Ohio last night to pay my respects to the family of Jim Neagles. Jim was one of my storytellers and he passed away June 12th. A long time Stadium Usher, Jim was diagnosed with brain cancer in October of 2007 and for nearly two years defied the doctors and the odds.

I met Jim by chance when I bumped into his son while taking a photo in Ohio Stadium. One thing led to another and over the last year, I had more than one phone conversation with Jim and his wife Donna. I was struck most by Jim's outlook, candor and the zest he grabbed life and things he accomplished in the face of the odds and the time he had. His son told me last night, "He wanted to go, so we kept him busy." Indeed. In one conversation, Jim told me of teaching his granddaughter to hunt and helping her bag her first deer.

Jim had a best friend, Rob Wise, who also developed cancer. Rob bought a van just so he could transport Jim in his wheel chair. The two made a bucket list and away they would go. At the visitation the family displayed a Tee Shirt with the lettering "Jim Neagles, one half of the dynamic duo battling cancer". Pictures on display showed true friendship; the two of them together in their shirts, Rob's a mirror image of Jim's.

Jim had asked me one time to take him to see Woody's grave. That was one of the things on the bucket list. When I retired, I began looking for a date that I could do that. Most regrettably, time ran out before we could get it done.

Rest in peace, Buckeye and inspiration, Jim Neagles.