Every morning, over breakfast and Earl Grey, I watch the same YouTube Channel: McBallen. I like his story telling methods as well as the subjects covered. Ghost stories, stalkers, divers who dove too deep. 

I got into the show late in October, when Beau was ill. Beaus’s my Bassett mix. Beau liked to listen to 

Mr. Ballens voice so, since we thought Beau’s weary bones were checking out, we did what Beau wanted. 

 I just really like starting my day this way.

A couple weeks ago, it did take a weird turn.

Mr. Ballen covered the crash of PSA flight 182, which went down in 1978 over San Diego.

I am well aware of this crash because my dad’s friend was on it. My uncle was supposed to meet Chuck at the airport to travel together. Uncle Dean “got a weird feeling” and never picked up his boarding pass.

At 9:03 everything was fine, they were landing.
9:05 and everyone was dead. It changed that quick.

My dads friend, Chuck, is in that inferno.

It was me, at 15, who took the call telling us about our loss. I had to go tell my dad Chuck Bren was gone

I watch a lot of shows dealing with strange events. Sometimes I get ideas for stories. Sometimes I just run with one idea into another.

 This was the first time I saw my history being explained in ways I had never expected. There was no internet when this happened. You had to follow the news as it updated then wait for People Magazine to put out the compilation issue with the lost faces on the cover. I never saw those photos of the actual doomed plane until Mr. Ballen’s show.

Charles “Chuck” Bern was a close friends of dads.  He was a really great guy who taught me personally about maintaining character and value. He taught by example. It was a great loss to my family. 

One really cool fact about Chuck? His mom was Academy Award Winner, Claire Trevor, from Key Largo. His brother, Donald Bern, owns Orange Country. I think all of it.

  The top photo is Claire with Chuck onset.