Jessie’s dad died today. :-( Having met Big Bird a few times at his Connecticut home through my friendship with Jessie, I can say that he was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. He will be missed by many!

I’ll never forget the three of us ice skating in the winter on one of his ponds, running around his ballroom while being dazzled by the disco ball twirling in the center of the ceiling, and admiring his huge wall a framed portraits of him and many other celebrities. Not everyone got the honor of getting to go to Big Bird’s house. This was just one of his properties, too.

When chatting with him you would never know who he was, but when he started talking in his Big Bird voice, you knew instantly. His wife Debra was a sweetheart as well.

About 30 years ago he gave me a feather from one of his costumes, but someone stole it. I can’t even begin to guess who because I was a lot more sociable in those days and had so many people in and out of my apartment, but I would put my money on either Fran or Brenda. Unfortunately, I no longer have the picture he took of Jessie and me at his place. There are probably other pictures floating around of both of us and the three of us somewhere, but not in my possession.

Gave Jessie my condolences on Facebook who is definitely sad and possibly quite rich now.