From the dark recesses of the Cave on Seneca's South End, to the Via Ferrata in Nelson Gap, to the resoling and phenomenal routing he did in New River Gorge, on to the rock and adventures of the West, "Flyin'" Brian McCray left his mark on climbing and climbers across the nation and the globe.
This past weekend, for reasons that were his own, Brian chose to end his life.
I did not know Brian well- we were not close buddies and did not climb together (mainly because I am no superhero, and thus am incapable of hanging upside down on crimpers and heel-hooking for an entire day) or hang out.
But Brian touched everyone around him, in conversations at the foot of the crags, on the front porch, or encountered at random in the New. We had, on more than one occasion, passed the time chatting about everything from dogs at the crags to the best rope bag to all the places we'd ever stolen a shower while on the road.
He was a climbing ambassador, a genuinely great person, and a bright soul to his friends and acquaintances.
Our lives and days will be a bit darker, without his quirky humor and laughter.
This past weekend, for reasons that were his own, Brian chose to end his life.
I did not know Brian well- we were not close buddies and did not climb together (mainly because I am no superhero, and thus am incapable of hanging upside down on crimpers and heel-hooking for an entire day) or hang out.
But Brian touched everyone around him, in conversations at the foot of the crags, on the front porch, or encountered at random in the New. We had, on more than one occasion, passed the time chatting about everything from dogs at the crags to the best rope bag to all the places we'd ever stolen a shower while on the road.
He was a climbing ambassador, a genuinely great person, and a bright soul to his friends and acquaintances.
Our lives and days will be a bit darker, without his quirky humor and laughter.
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