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Letter to the editor

Bryan is warmly remembered

By CRISTINA SILVA, Times Staff Writer
Published September 8, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT The death of John Bryan Friday morning in family court, St. Petersburg Council Chairman John Bryan agreed to stay away from his teenage daughters. Early in the afternoon, he resigned from the Council. And at roughly 5:45 p.m., he was found dead at a home he owned in Citrus County, slumped in a golf cart in the garage with a riding mower running. Read the story Bryan's neighbors, co-workers dumbfounded Those who knew him remember him warmly A council in transition faces a "big shock" Download Bryan's resignation letter (PDF)

Council member Bill Foster feared the worst.

After hearing that fellow council member John Bryan was being investigated over sexual abuse allegations, he worried about his friend's emotional state.

Hours later, Foster's worst fears were realized when he learned of Bryan's suicide.

"Today's news was shocking, tonight's news was not. I just knew this would happen," said Foster, who spent Friday night trying to express condolences to Bryan's family.

"This is just awful."

Foster's reaction was typical of the shock expressed by friends and colleagues.

Bryan was widely known as a man who relished a good joke and rarely spoke of his problems.

Community leaders had nothing but good things to say about Bryan on Friday night.

* * *

Family friend and former council member Bob Kersteen: "This is just such a shock. Words can't express what I feel for his family," he said. "I wish he would have thought this out more than just ending it all. There had to be a solution."

* * *

Friend of 15 years, Robert Beach: "He was guy you would never know if he had a problem because he wouldn't talk about things of that kind. I'm just shocked. He must have been very desperate. He was such a strong person, he had a strong personality and a strong character. This just doesn't seem like him."

* * *

Barbara Heck, president of the Council of Neighborhood Associations: "John was a good friend to CONA and to the neighborhoods. He worked very, very hard for us and for the city. Our prayers are with his family at this most difficult time in their lives. It's just such a loss. ... We are truly devastated."

* * *

Darden Rice, community activist: "John has been nothing but a very kind and gracious person. ... He has always struck me as being a very smart and caring, generous person."

* * *

Karl Nurse, community activist and fellow Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority board member: "The John Bryan I knew was a great guy who tried to make the community a better place. I didn't know this other John Bryan. ... I guess his whole world crashed down. He obviously did a horrible thing and I guess he couldn't take it."

* * *

Barbara Hawkins, Greater Pinellas Point Civic Association president and frequent City Hall visitor: "He seemed to be a very up-front kind of person who seriously considered whatever was before him at council. I found him to be very legitimate and sincere. He seemed to be a cordial type of person. It breaks my heart. ... I was so sad. It is just very, very sad when someone goes to that extreme. To me he has served the City Council very well, and I don't think any of this should detract from that."

* * *

Council member Rene Flowers learned of Bryan's death from city officials.

"You can never tell exactly what a person is going through. This is so difficult, so difficult. ... Whatever it was, he felt he couldn't make it. I tried to call him several times on his cell phone number, and I kept leaving messages. I told him, 'Call me if you want to pray together, call me if you need to talk.' But of course, he never called me back."

[Last modified September 8, 2007, 02:00:46]