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A lost soul...

T

Tony_Magoo

Guest
This should have ended differently, but it didn't.

I got an e-mail yesterday from a woman I had never known until she told me that her brother had lost the long hard struggle that he waged against his own body for several years.

Glen Caccamise's sister spoke of how the cancer had riddled him, and made day-to-day hard becasue of the severe pain he was in. Here's the deal. You would have never known it.

Glen-O was one of those guys that you always see "around" radio. But, he contributed in such a great way that you don't often see. The guy was selfless. What do you need? What can I do? How can I help? He'd work the setup crew for any show we did just so that he might get a handshake from Don Dokken, or an autograph from Rob Halford on his Priest poster. Jumpin' Jesus...show me a street crewman making minimum wage that goes as far as he did.

I was honored to be a co-guest of honor with Glen at a backyard party in West Seneca last summer that was attended by some of the most talented guys currently working in Buffalo radio. Proud to spend the afternoon laughing, joking and telling whoppers with that group and to be there with Glen to watch him enjoy the night too.

I'm happy that he enjoyed himself that night. This will sound callous, but I'm happy that he's gone now too. I know the pain he had. However, I'm also very sad that he's not here anymore. There's a hole in my soul now where he was, because it was never about "me" with him. We all need people like that in our lives.

He loved what we do. So many of his contemporaries that read, ignore or contribute to this board know exactly what I mean. Glen just loved being amongst us.

Will we miss him?

"Absolutely!"
 
> This should have ended differently, but it didn't.
>
> I got an e-mail yesterday from a woman I had never known
> until she told me that her brother had lost the long hard
> struggle that he waged against his own body for several
> years.
>
> Glen Caccamise's sister spoke of how the cancer had riddled
> him, and made day-to-day hard becasue of the severe pain he
> was in. Here's the deal. You would have never known it.
>
> Glen-O was one of those guys that you always see "around"
> radio. But, he contributed in such a great way that you
> don't often see. The guy was selfless. What do you need?
> What can I do? How can I help? He'd work the setup crew
> for any show we did just so that he might get a handshake
> from Don Dokken, or an autograph from Rob Halford on his
> Priest poster. Jumpin' Jesus...show me a street crewman
> making minimum wage that goes as far as he did.
>
> I was honored to be a co-guest of honor with Glen at a
> backyard party in West Seneca last summer that was attended
> by some of the most talented guys currently working in
> Buffalo radio. Proud to spend the afternoon laughing,
> joking and telling whoppers with that group and to be there
> with Glen to watch him enjoy the night too.
>
> I'm happy that he enjoyed himself that night. This will
> sound callous, but I'm happy that he's gone now too. I know
> the pain he had. However, I'm also very sad that he's not
> here anymore. There's a hole in my soul now where he was,
> because it was never about "me" with him. We all need
> people like that in our lives.
>
> He loved what we do. So many of his contemporaries that
> read, ignore or contribute to this board know exactly what I
> mean. Glen just loved being amongst us.
>
> Will we miss him?
>
> "Absolutely!"
>
Well said, Magoo. As a cancer survivor, you know the struggle and battle more
than anyone else and you've paid a fitting tribute to Glenn-O.

Many people who post or read this board may not recognize Glenn's name, but he was everything you said and more. I first met him when he interned at 97 Rock in the early 80's. He was a green kid, bright eyes and full of enthusiasm, working with Paul Heine as a "music guy." Occasionally, he'd help out in the production department and he'd talk about what he wanted to do in the business.

He had unbounded passion for music and radio.

In one of our "production room chats," (the kind EVERY radio guy has with co-workers) he told me he had leukemia as a kid and was up against it more than once. He SURVIVED and more importantly, developed an intense appreciation for life. His story left a positive impression on me and I came to admire his boundless enthusiasm, seemingly endless knowledge of music, especially heavy metal and his ever-giving spirit.

Everything Tony wrote about Glenn is true. It was never "about him." It was always about "doing radio" and "taking one for the team." And he had a ball doing it; the kind of fun we might have had the first three years of our careers when we dreamed big, stayed out (too) late arguing about bands, music, formats, stations and personalities we thought were great or otherwise. When we "wore the colors" and our hearts and souls were totally wrapped up in "the job." Remember that passion?

Glenn brought it to the station every day.

Years later, when I heard Glenn-O working at The Bear (107.7 WBYR), I would smile and feel a sense of happiness for him because he was doing what he always wanted to do and I could hear and sense it in his voice.

And there was that trademark word we all knew was "his." He coined it, he used it. It's so much "his" that about two months ago, I used it just as a matter of emphasising something I was saying on the air and immediately remembered Glenn-O and thought "that's HIS word..." I felt like I violated a trademark or copyright. Like I needed to say, "Registered trademark, Glenn-O, Buffalo."

Glenn made the word HIS by the way he said it... like Jack Armstrong says "Your Leaaaaader," Glenn would say "ab-so-looooooot-ly!" Priceless. And it wasn't contrived, he said it and spoke it the same way on the air and off.

And that summer cookout a year ago? It was the best! And who was having a ball, laughing, joking and telling us "it was all going to be OK?" Yeah, the bright-eyed kid with the boundless enthusiasm for life. Maybe that's why the night was so well remembered. We ate, had a few beers, (hey, we're all older and wiser now) told stories and laughed a lot, sometimes at ourselves.

I'll close with the thought that ran through my head when I read the email that his loving family and sister Lynn sent out:

EVERYBODY LIKED GLENN-O.

Think about it. It says it all. He'll be missed and remembered joyfully by everone that knew him. Eternal rest grant him...
 
> > This should have ended differently, but it didn't.
> >
> > I got an e-mail yesterday from a woman I had never known
> > until she told me that her brother had lost the long hard
> > struggle that he waged against his own body for several
> > years.
> >
> > Glen Caccamise's sister spoke of how the cancer had
> riddled
> > him, and made day-to-day hard becasue of the severe pain
> he
> > was in. Here's the deal. You would have never known it.
> >
> > Glen-O was one of those guys that you always see "around"
> > radio. But, he contributed in such a great way that you
> > don't often see. The guy was selfless. What do you need?
>
> > What can I do? How can I help? He'd work the setup crew
> > for any show we did just so that he might get a handshake
> > from Don Dokken, or an autograph from Rob Halford on his
> > Priest poster. Jumpin' Jesus...show me a street crewman
> > making minimum wage that goes as far as he did.
> >
> > I was honored to be a co-guest of honor with Glen at a
> > backyard party in West Seneca last summer that was
> attended
> > by some of the most talented guys currently working in
> > Buffalo radio. Proud to spend the afternoon laughing,
> > joking and telling whoppers with that group and to be
> there
> > with Glen to watch him enjoy the night too.
> >
> > I'm happy that he enjoyed himself that night. This will
> > sound callous, but I'm happy that he's gone now too. I
> know
> > the pain he had. However, I'm also very sad that he's not
>
> > here anymore. There's a hole in my soul now where he was,
>
> > because it was never about "me" with him. We all need
> > people like that in our lives.
> >
> > He loved what we do. So many of his contemporaries that
> > read, ignore or contribute to this board know exactly what
> I
> > mean. Glen just loved being amongst us.
> >
> > Will we miss him?
> >
> > "Absolutely!"
> >
> Well said, Magoo. As a cancer survivor, you know the
> struggle and battle more
> than anyone else and you've paid a fitting tribute to
> Glenn-O.
>
> Many people who post or read this board may not recognize
> Glenn's name, but he was everything you said and more. I
> first met him when he interned at 97 Rock in the early 80's.
> He was a green kid, bright eyes and full of enthusiasm,
> working with Paul Heine as a "music guy." Occasionally, he'd
> help out in the production department and he'd talk about
> what he wanted to do in the business.
>
> He had unbounded passion for music and radio.
>
> In one of our "production room chats," (the kind EVERY radio
> guy has with co-workers) he told me he had leukemia as a kid
> and was up against it more than once. He SURVIVED and more
> importantly, developed an intense appreciation for life. His
> story left a positive impression on me and I came to admire
> his boundless enthusiasm, seemingly endless knowledge of
> music, especially heavy metal and his ever-giving spirit.
>
> Everything Tony wrote about Glenn is true. It was never
> "about him." It was always about "doing radio" and "taking
> one for the team." And he had a ball doing it; the kind of
> fun we might have had the first three years of our careers
> when we dreamed big, stayed out (too) late arguing about
> bands, music, formats, stations and personalities we thought
> were great or otherwise. When we "wore the colors" and our
> hearts and souls were totally wrapped up in "the job."
> Remember that passion?
>
> Glenn brought it to the station every day.
>
> Years later, when I heard Glenn-O working at The Bear (107.7
> WBYR), I would smile and feel a sense of happiness for him
> because he was doing what he always wanted to do and I could
> hear and sense it in his voice.
>
> And there was that trademark word we all knew was "his." He
> coined it, he used it. It's so much "his" that about two
> months ago, I used it just as a matter of emphasising
> something I was saying on the air and immediately remembered
> Glenn-O and thought "that's HIS word..." I felt like I
> violated a trademark or copyright. Like I needed to say,
> "Registered trademark, Glenn-O, Buffalo."
>
> Glenn made the word HIS by the way he said it... like Jack
> Armstrong says "Your Leaaaaader," Glenn would say
> "ab-so-looooooot-ly!" Priceless. And it wasn't contrived, he
> said it and spoke it the same way on the air and off.
>
> And that summer cookout a year ago? It was the best! And who
> was having a ball, laughing, joking and telling us "it was
> all going to be OK?" Yeah, the bright-eyed kid with the
> boundless enthusiasm for life. Maybe that's why the night
> was so well remembered. We ate, had a few beers, (hey, we're
> all older and wiser now) told stories and laughed a lot,
> sometimes at ourselves.
>
> I'll close with the thought that ran through my head when I
> read the email that his loving family and sister Lynn sent
> out:
>
> EVERYBODY LIKED GLENN-O.
>
> Think about it. It says it all. He'll be missed and
> remembered joyfully by everone that knew him. Eternal rest
> grant him...
>

As a person who became aware of this site only about a year and a half ago, I made a promise to myself to read but not get involved in posting on the boards. I have to break my promise.
I first met Glenn back at my first radio gig. WYSL/WPHD in 1984. To say Glenn was one of a kind would be a huge understatement. It was my pleasure to have been a friend of his and I will truly miss him. Over the past few years,while on the air on weekends , I would occassionally call him in Florida, check on his health and shoot the breeze. Glenn always asked me to crank up the monitor whenever a song was ending so he could hear a station sweeper to remind him of home,Buffalo!! I had the privilage of being at that backyard BBQ party last summer, what a night! A group of Buffalo Radio Vets, putting back a few and talking about the past.Glenn was all smiles.
It's tough coming to grips with the fact that I will never hear another
"Abbbbbssssooooolllluuuuutttteeeellllyyy" over the phone but I know Glenn is in a better place and in no pain. Glenn was a tremendous human being and once again I feel lucky to have been his friend!
 
Re: A lost soul...and a note to any newbies or old cynics...

..the preceding is one of the good examples about what this "lifestyle"..this "business"...this thing called "radio" is all about..
 
Good Night, Glen-O

> It's tough coming to grips with the fact that I will never
> hear another
> "Abbbbbssssooooolllluuuuutttteeeellllyyy" over the phone but
> I know Glenn is in a better place and in no pain. Glenn was
> a tremendous human being and once again I feel lucky to have
> been his friend!

I met Glen-O at WPhD back in the 80's when I was doing mid-days following Taylor and Moore. Glen-O was one of those guys who was always ready to do anything you asked - and happy to do it. Whether it was standing around handing out bumper stickers at a remote, or playing on our poor excuse for a softball team, you could count on the fact that he'd be there. Complain? Yeah - if you didn't call him when you needed somebody to work at a freebie remote for a local charity.

Glen was good people, and I'm sorry I missed the gather last summer in West Seneca. Magoo, I can only imagine how you feel. "There but for the grace of God...".

Well, as they say, "No one gets out of this alive". That emptiness we feel is nothing compared to the pain he endured with a good nature and a good heart. Thankfully, his pain is over.

Glen-O, when my time comes, I'm pretty sure you'll be one of the friendliest faces waiting at that Big Remote inside the Pearly Gates. Bless You, and Thank You.

Brian J. Walker
 
Re: A lost soul...and a note to any newbies or old cynics...

> ..the preceding is one of the good examples about what this
> "lifestyle"..this "business"...this thing called "radio" is
> all about..
>

Right you are, Studio 20. But I can guarantee you there wouldn't be very many general managers who would feel the same way about Glen...nor any sales managers who would know him for anything else besides the guy who could be counted on to show up and work at remotes AND NOT EXPECT TO BE PAID. And certainly no owner/CEO or CFO would know him as more than a a name on a piece of paper that had numbers at the bottom of it.

I would say it's their loss not to have known Glen the way you did, except these people have vast empty spaces in their bodies where their hearts should be.
 
Re: Good Night, Glen-O

Forgive me guys for joining in late. I read that email last Tuesday and got that sick feeling we all get from time to time in the gut. Glenno was a great guy, fun to hang with, and just had this overwhelming appreciation of life that was contagious. I worked with him for over a year before he devulged hist past battle with Lukemia....he just smiled and said "that's why when I party, I party". The best memory I have of him was when, as a young jock I let the CD fade out and had nothing ready to go next. He happened to be in the studio with me, when I frantically turned to him and pleaded that he cue my next CD while I did an impromptu weather break. Needless to say he did it and the break and segue went off without a hitch, but what a laugh we had over that. I'm so gald and grateful to whatever powers that be, that we were able to all get together last summer and have that night at Donnie T's. That was one of the best nights I can remember, and Glenno was so happy that we all could be there. Farewell my friend, you will be missed.

Matt Young
 
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