Editor's Note: Jon Griffith formerly wrote this blog as a member of Bridgeport City Council. The majority of Griffith's dealing with our friend Chris Johnson was during his time as a coach at Bridgeport High School. However, Griffith also worked with Chris during his time on the city's governing body. Please take a second to read Griffith's tribute to Johnson in this special edition of his former "Why Bridgeport" blog.

How do you measure a person's life? What standards, what sort of evaluation, what kind of yardstick should we use to grade our time on earth? This is no easy question. I am fairly certain there are as many answers to this riddle as there are people to weigh in on the topic.

Some look to wealth as a guideline. What is your annual salary? What is your financial net worth? How many homes/boats/cars do you own? This material viewpoint is simple enough to calculate and compare.

Would professional success be a better gauge? How high up the corporate or government ladder have you climbed? How important is the position you hold? How large is your company? How many people do you supervise? All are quantifiable, although some might require a little effort.

Others might look to social status. How many friends and acquaintances do you have? How large is your social network? How many social events and gatherings do you attend? Easy enough to count and rank.

I am not saying any of these are wrong. However, I prefer a different measure. For me, the truest measure of a person is their impact on the lives of those around them. To selflessly give and elevate others. By this measure, Bridgeport and the state of West Virginia have lost a giant of a man.

My shock at the loss of Chris Johnson is finally starting to wane. That initial shock has been replaced by utter sadness. I will miss our frequent conversations in his office or at a sporting event. Sharing our enjoyment of Diet Mt. Dew, discussing local athletes and teams past and present, comparing our favorite classic rock and roll vocalists, catching up on our families, and a variety of other assorted topics are memories I will cherish for the rest of my life.

I am not alone in my sadness. I have been contacted by many coaches and athletes recently. Some were local. Some from other areas across the state. Many related stories of how Chris had impacted their life and how much they appreciated Chris’s dedication, professionalism, and kindness.

He took the time to get to know the athletes and coaches personally. He studied their sports and performances in great detail. That is what made his stories so special to the athletes, their families, and the coaches. He cared, and it showed.

From my observations, Chris was unique among sports writers. To him, there were no major or minor sports. He was just as happy to cover a track meet, wrestling tournament, or cross country race as he was to write a story on a football, basketball, or baseball game. I know his coverage of the “minor” sports I coached was the envy of coaches across the state.

His love of sport was not confined to Bridgeport. Throughout his career, Chris followed and reported on athletes and sports across the state for various media outlets. That didn’t change when he began working at Connect-Bridgeport. He remained a champion of all athletes and sports across the state.

His work with the West Virginia Sports Writers Association and the Victory Awards Banquet speaks to the reach of his impact statewide. This was again confirmed when Chris was named the 2021 West Virginia Sports Writers’ Morehouse Award winner for his tremendous contributions to sports journalism in West Virginia.

Chris was as genuine a person as you could ever meet. His kindness, empathy, and sincerity were palpable. His love and appreciation for the sports and athletes he wrote about were exceptional. His impact on the lives of those around him was invariably positive and elevating. Coworkers, athletes, community members, coaches, government employees, and elected officials would all agree.

Why Bridgeport? Bridgeport was blessed to have Chris Johnson covering the community and our sports programs. His loss is immeasurable, not just to Bridgeport but to the state of West Virginia. The scale of his loss corresponds directly to the number of people Chris has impacted in his life. That number is huge.

How do you measure a man? To many, that question remains vague and unanswered. However, for me, Chris has provided an example and a yardstick that I will aspire to live up to each day.

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Chris Johnson with a photo bomb of former BHS track coach Emilee Yurish and Jon Griffith, while he is shown in the football press box with, from left, Travis Jone and Chris George. Bottom photo shows Johnson at work at a state basketball tournament with his good friend and colleague Michael Minnich to the left. 

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