A Letter From a Friend

I have assembled all the links people have been sending me, and provided them below. They may be old to some, new to some others. Also attached are some links of photos of Jeff. And at the bottom is the official announcement from the Faire.

The Scottish Rogues have expressed an interest in performing at either a funeral or memorial service, whenever it takes place. The Faire is examining some options, and others are talking about holding a memorial service, but no consensus has been reached. Jeff's family is reportedly planning a funeral in Arkansas either Wednesday or Thursday. Shannon Wiley is opening his home on Sunday afternoon (shannon at unicornucopia.org) , and I'm waiting word on other arrangements.

I am in contact with the CBS affiliate in Ohio which broke the story, and hope to get some video of the scene from them. Also, there are rumors of someone in the club taping the incident, and I am looking to get this when it is released.

Last night on the 10:00 news, KTVT CBS - 11 (the station I work for) did a memorial piece on Jeff. Frank Libro the Executive Producer decided Jeff's story should be told as well as all the coverage on the band members. Bud Gillette was the reporter and he interviewed both Coy and Shannon. I edited the package, and have copies of both the air check and the original video. Not to pat myself on the back, but I think it's a pretty good tribute.

You can view this video at the CBS Web Site:
http://www.cbs11tv.com/

Using IE (won't take Netscape) Click on CBS 11 Video, and hit top news stories 12/9/04. Jeff's memorial is the second item. At some point in the near future I will put this out on CD or DVD, along with any video I can get of the incident.

Finally, I was on the way home last night, I was channel surfing, thinking about how I could have made the video better, and came across a memorial for Damageplan on 92.5. I don't remember the exact words the DJ used, but she drove me to tears with the following sentiment: Come, call in and give me your memories. We'll broadcast them, and they'll travel the airwaves forever, sending the message out to the skies.

Our friend may be gone. But thanks to some wonderful people I work with, his image, his words, and his memory are now winding their way across the stars.

Or as my wife just said, let's not be sad. Jeff's already two cases into his Heavenly Guinness.

More as it comes available.

D

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Links to news stories about the shooting:

Yahoo News

MTV.com News

AIM News

KDGE (Dallas radio station)
(They also have a link to some 911 calls from the evening)

Sun Herald (south Mississippi)

Rolling Stone

NBC5 (Dallas NBC station)

Photos of Jeff:

http://www.deviantart.com/view/13023063/

http://gallery.openwindowphoto.com/gallery/album72/ScarbFaire04_090

http://gallery.openwindowphoto.com/gallery/album51/Scarb03_Easter_255

http://gallery.openwindowphoto.com/gallery/album51/Scarb03_Easter_264

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/clove_dragon/album?.dir=/d273

These are the older links I have sent previously. For the sake of completion.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=314691

http://wbns.com/Global/story.asp?S=2669547&nav=LUERU0Gd

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/12/09/national/main659983.shtml

Official Announcement from Scarborough Faire:

We thought that our Scarborough friends and family would appreciate being informed.

Jeff "Mayhem" Thompson, a longtime Scarborough Renaissance Festival participant and employee passed away on December 8, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio at the age of 40. Jeff had been not only a staff member of Southwest Festivals, Inc., but also a member of the Scarborough Academy of Performing Arts, and the Hayride Manager for Screams, the World's Largest Halloween Theme Park, in the early years.

Jeff was instrumental in starting the "Highland Games" event held each day during Scarborough, and competed each year in events around the country. He was also recognized as the "front man" for the Rogues, the Grammy nominated bagpipe band that plays each season at Scarborough Faire®.

Jeff traveled extensively and handled security over the years with the heavy metal group Pantera, and most recently was on tour with Damageplan. He loved the entertainment business and all of the people whose lives he touched along the way.

"Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard.
It seems to me most strange that men should fear; Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come."
Julius Caesar, Act II, scene 2

We will keep you posted on funeral and memorial arrangements as we get the information.

Our deepest condolences go out to Jeff's family and friends.

The Staff of Southwest Festivals, Inc.
Scarborough Renaissance Festival
Screams Halloween Theme Park

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