http://www.thrashermagazine.com/articles/doug-pensinger-rip-in-peace/
The afternoon on June 10, I got an odd call from Stone Mountain, GA. It was my assignment editor at the photo agency, and I was being asked to shoot the game that afternoon, which was a surprise, as usually I had my assignments well in advance. I did the work, because it was something I did when I was asked.
The sun set over the Rockies game that I was unknowingly covering for my dying friend. June 10, 2016.
The friars hilariously stomped the Rockies in the 9th, Z and I laughed about the implosion of the home team and laughed about our new nickname for the soon-to-be-demoted closer, "Beluga, the white whale" Jake McGee, June 10, 2016.
My good friends and colleagues, Z on the left and the legendary DP on the right, preside over the end zone of a local college football game, famously being the best guys out of the 40,000 in attendance.
I would learn of his death at midnight the next day, covering a different event for the same agency. It was midnight and my phone rang from Justin my fellow contributor. I was sending the last of the grip and grin photos from a minor-league NASCAR race, and he asked if I was sitting down. Doug died, he told me. Fuck, I said. I turned in the rest of the edit from that late race. I drove home in a haze. I got home and I did something in the kitchen, waiting for the shock to wear off. Carolyn finally came downstairs at 2:00 am. She had been complaining earlier about all the assignments I was accepting. I told her why I had been getting the extra work and she understood and it was OK.
The winner celebrates after winning a local race, June 11, 2016.
I've lost friends, role models, multiple dads, friends, and I've even probably written about the experience here. I've struggled for not feeling enough when this stuff happens. Fortunately, this time, all DPs friends got together for an epic send off. We met in a bar in Golden, where he and I had shared drinks before. Last time, he met us at 2:00 pm for a night that lasted several hours, ending in a great tour of his most recent masterpiece, his Golden, CO castle.
A team of us photographers admiring DP's work most likely (despite the other 4 shooters who worked the game).
The legend, DP, and the author, going over the logic behind the choices of the layout in this amazing life venue, Doug's golden home.
The man's car.
Mega photographer, covered something like 10 tour de france races.
The send off.
The legend, DP, and the author, going over the logic behind the choices of the layout in this amazing life venue, Doug's golden home.
Doug's colleagues, employer, friends, fans, and family, held a great little even at the finish line of the great Evergreen Town Race. We admired the scenery and drank White Rascal beer, and listened to the large number of friends and family tell stories of Doug that sounded just like each of our own stories. A very epic send off for a very epic guy.
The man's car.
Mega photographer, covered something like 10 tour de france races.
The send off.
I should have mentioned the time at the bar. Justin introduced me to every photographer on the coninental US, which was fun, but then even better was to talk to Devan and Jenna. Both opened up to me. J, crying her eyes out, told me of her night, the banging on the door, the neighbor's door open, their friend having gone under heart failure, not responding to attempts to revive him. She was horrified by the experience. His daughter, welcoming of the outpouring of kindness but certainly sad and coming back from a different perspective of death.
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