Remembering the Loss of Our Friend, George L. Griggs (1949-2014) Founder, Motor City Radio Flashbacks
A Final Thought in Closing Out 2014
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DETROIT (December 31) — Since November 6, 2013, when we first began tabulating the number of hits here, this website has experienced the successes you’ve enjoyed by your visits and stays at Motor City Radio Flashbacks. Just shy under an amazing three million website pages hits. Thank you.
On that note I am pleased to inform you we’ve experienced a most extraordinary year — a year soon having passed in the next 24-hours — by your recurring stops here on Motor City Radio Flashbacks throughout this past year.
But on a sad note it has been a difficult 2014 year, here, as well. Sadly, and with much regret it was announced here when we lost our dear friend. The one man who, in part, was responsible for creating and bringing this website to us here today, it’s founder, George Griggs.
Many of you did not know. Within three months into the new year, 2014, and much to my dismay then in learning the sudden, bad news, I recall my stunned reaction when George personally informed me he had prostate cancer.
While some may or may not have noticed, it was during a stretch George was for the most part visibly absent here. During those days he was undergoing medical treatments to eradicate the cancer. That was sometime beginning in March, through June, earlier in the year. After having gone through 8-10-weeks of medical treatments to kill the disease, we were both elated, relieved with the final good news the outcome was a clean success.
But shortly sometime in the ensuing weeks thereafter, after some time having passed, I noticed George was not participating much on the website again.
I last saw George in mid-August, having met at a restaurant engagement planned with our other longtime friend, our other “Detroit radio” friend, Greg Innis. While I thought he looked well at the time, he confined in us he hasn’t been feeling well for several weeks, then. He later needlessly apologized in an email he sent me for “not having felt too well” as he related later on, that he had “other things going on in his mind,” as he stated, during our lunch meet that one afternoon.
Sometime later George would email me this message, dated, September 4. As quoted in part, below —
Hey Jim, not good news. Well I had a CT scan done the other day and it’s not good. I have a mass tumor in my lung that is cancer. Don’t know any more now. I am having a PET Scan done on Saturday morning. So here it goes….
I need plenty of prayers Jim…. But I need to deal with it.
Will not know anything more until Monday…. I am not much to talk to. I hope I will be soon!
Take care Jim
Understandably in having to deal with any dreaded disease such as this it then becomes a personal and private family matter. Days turned into weeks. During which time we were not able to obtain further word on George’s medical condition. Respecting the family’s privacy, we just didn’t really know how bad it really had become.
Having becoming too ill and no longer able to contribute to the website, he posted his last feature on September 29, 2014.
Surrounded by his immediate family, his wife, Patty, his son, Scott, and daughter, Gina, George Griggs peacefully passed away in his home while in hospice care, Tuesday morning, October 28, 2014.
In wake of his recent passing a void is felt in our lives today.
On a more personal side, I am grateful to have known him as a true friend. A friend I found to be humorous. A friend I found to be gracious, caring, and loving. First and foremost towards his family, likewise, towards his closest friends. The same George I’ve come to know throughout the past nineteen years.
As Art Vuolo succinctly termed it well, George Griggs is the “Keeper Of The Radio Flame.”
It has been 63 days now. George Griggs is invisible as he is silent. But he remains vibrant here on this site, in our hearts and in our thoughts with every passing day. He may be gone. But he is not forgotten.
In closing, we knew about his established love for Detroit radio and its history will live on. Here on his website. We shall carry on in his memory.
To our good friend, farewell . . . . farewell George. May you rest forevermore in God’s heavenly peace.
Jim Feliciano
Wednesday, December 31, 2014 12:10 a.m.
