Ken and I got the annual assignment no one in the newsroom wanted — we covered the Black Friday shopping frenzy. For several years, we arrived outside Muskegon’s Best Buy around 3 am to tell the story of eager shoppers as they formed a line that wrapped around the store. They braved the wind, the rain, the cold, and the snow, all in the name of getting a good deal.
The first couple years, I showed up cold, tired, surly, and ready to get it over with. Ken showed up with his signature smile and warm disposition, always ready to tell a story with his camera.
Eventually, I warmed up to the assignment and actually volunteered for it… because I got to spend time with Ken. He had a magnetic personality and a sweet soul. Shine on, my friend. You are loved and dearly missed.