My folks were flying from Germany to Milwaukee one summer. My dad would always bring some good German beer to share with his brothers. They flew into to Detroit, then got on a plane for a connection flight to Milwaukee. Sitting right in front of my dad was Mother Theresa. She was headed to Marquette University to receive a special award.

To this day, my dad brags about how he stored his carry-on luggage, full of beer, under Mother Theresa's seat.

Great stories here. But I'm just saying that Mother Theresa is set to become a Saint on 4 September 2016. So there's that.

#prettypowerfulbrushwithfame

My friend's brush with (in)famy: He was almost a victim of serial killer John Wayne Gacy.

 

Whoa, how did he escape?

I've told this one on here before, but one year a decade or so ago, we were at the Opryland Hotel for the NWTF convention and we are headed to a banquet and the elevator doors open for us and the NRA president Charlton Heston was on there. I thought my mother would pass out.:lol2: My youngest with his camo button down on had no clue as Heston patted his red head and said "what a fine looking young man". My mom was verklempt.

 

So essentially the elevator doors parted and Moses was inside.

 

OMG, I totally would have told him to get his hands off me, you damn dirty ape!

 

How awesome it would have been to meet him.

Great stories here. But I'm just saying that Mother Theresa is set to become a Saint on 4 September 2016. So there's that.

#prettypowerfulbrushwithfame

 

Mother Theresa spoke on the 50 yard line of Cov Cath's football field. During the same visit to the US, my mom went to see her speak at Bellarmine University, and got a hug from her.

Great stories here. But I'm just saying that Mother Theresa is set to become a Saint on 4 September 2016. So there's that.

#prettypowerfulbrushwithfame

 

This is not meant to be a story of my brush with greatness, but a story that relates to hoops5 pointing out that Mother Teresa is soon to be made a saint.

 

Recently deceased at age 70, British author, and in 1976 the first woman ever to be an auctioneer at Sotheby's Auction House in New York, Lorna Kelly last August came to town to give a lecture, and since she was a good friend of a good friend of mine, she stayed with her while in town, and I had the pleasure of spending one evening in her company over dinner.

 

Though her New York life had been fascinatingly exciting with all of the high profile people she had met, years ago she became intrigued with Mother Teresa after reading a book about her, and in an effort to bring a more deeper profound

meaning to her life, on a whim she booked a flight to Calcutta to meet her.

 

Dressed the part of a high society socialite upon her arrival, she quickly found herself in this first meeting with Mother Teresa compelled to get seriously involved with the Sisters of Charity, and help the sick and poor on the streets of Calcutta.

 

This was the beginning of her many visits to Calcutta, and a close personal life transforming friendship with Mother Teresa that began in the 1980's until Mother Teresa's death in 1997, which Lorna has documented in her two books.

 

Because of this friendship and her experiences with Mother Teresa, Ms. Kelly was selected by the Vatican to be a witness on her sainthood canonization committee.

 

It was tremendously interesting to share dinner with Lorna and hear from her such an up close and personal account of both her life in New York as an auctioneer at Sotheby's, as well as her friendship and experiences with Mother Teresa and the Sisters of Charity in Calcutta.

 

Lorna very unexpectedly passed this past June, and it was a complete shock to my friend who was close to her. I'm sure that she was certain that she'd still be here to see Mother Teresa become a saint, but sadly it was not to be.

Mother Theresa spoke on the 50 yard line of Cov Cath's football field. During the same visit to the US, my mom went to see her speak at Bellarmine University, and got a hug from her.

That is my kind of "Brush with fame".

I've told this one on here before, but one year a decade or so ago, we were at the Opryland Hotel for the NWTF convention and we are headed to a banquet and the elevator doors open for us and the NRA president Charlton Heston was on there. I thought my mother would pass out.:lol2: My youngest with his camo button down on had no clue as Heston patted his red head and said "what a fine looking young man". My mom was verklempt.

 

So essentially the elevator doors parted and Moses was inside.

 

Woulda been cooler if you dropped a Taylor reference.

Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains) was a cool guy. So was Warren Haynes (Allmans and Govt' Mule) and Steve Earle. Met the guys from Cross Canadian Ragweed when they got their first album out. Bunch of other musicians.

 

Shook hands with Billie Joe Shaver. Big thrill. Dude's a bona fide country legend and responsible for the greatest country record ever.

 

I love music, so I mention those types. I get to meet tons of sports personalities through work. Ali was the only one ever I was in awe of. I've met dozens of pros in many sports, and many HOFers.

Whoa, how did he escape?

 

 

As a teenager, my friend Tim lived in the neighborhood near where Gacy lived. One day JWG asked him if he wanted to go to the park and hang out. Gacy was pretty well liked by all the kids in the neighborhood, even playing a clown at various functions. Tim(who was pretty sheltered) asked his mom if he could go and she said no. This was in 1977. Tim's best friend, David Talsma did go, however. Talsma was never seen again...That is, until he was found in the crawlspace of Gacy's home.

Met and had picture taken with Kenny Walker in 1986. While working for Delta Airlines in the early to mid 90's, I met Pete Rose, Dr J, Garry Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and his wife. Also, in 1999 I met Kirk Windstein (Crowbar) at a Stormtroopers of Death show, Crowbar opened the show. Almost bumped into Zakk Wylde (former longtime Ozzy guitarist)coming out of restroom at Headliners in Louisville in 2000, at a Black Label Society (his band) show. Had picture taken with 3 members of Godsmack and "Big Val" (former head of security for Pantera) at Black Sabbath/Godsmack show at Riverbend in 1999. Talked to Jimmy Bower (Down, Crowbar, Corrosion of Conformity) in a guitar store in Cincinnati in 2002. Was introduced to Jim Boeheim in November 2014 while on my daughters official visit at Syracuse. Had picture taken with David Allan Coe when he brought his bus into our shop in October 2015.

 

That was a CLASSIC picture I might add.

Oh well... I'm at least improving enough to give readers an option, as well as a fair warning.

 

B-Ball, you wouldn't be you without a multiple paragraph post. If it was really short, we'd worry you were sick or something!

As a teenager, my friend Tim lived in the neighborhood near where Gacy lived. One day JWG asked him if he wanted to go to the park and hang out. Gacy was pretty well liked by all the kids in the neighborhood, even playing a clown at various functions. Tim(who was pretty sheltered) asked his mom if he could go and she said no. This was in 1977. Tim's best friend, David Talsma did go, however. Talsma was never seen again...That is, until he was found in the crawlspace of Gacy's home.

 

Wow, by his mom saying a simple "no", she probably saved her boy's life.

As a teenager, my friend Tim lived in the neighborhood near where Gacy lived. One day JWG asked him if he wanted to go to the park and hang out. Gacy was pretty well liked by all the kids in the neighborhood, even playing a clown at various functions. Tim(who was pretty sheltered) asked his mom if he could go and she said no. This was in 1977. Tim's best friend, David Talsma did go, however. Talsma was never seen again...That is, until he was found in the crawlspace of Gacy's home.

 

Creepy! Thank God your friend had a protective mom.

In 1987, The Breeders Cup was held at Hollywood Park. My father-in-law had a friend who worked for NBC. He got us tickets in the VIP suite. All you can eat and drink for free with lots of people from NBC. LA Law was a big show back then and almost all the cast was there. I stood in the betting line behind Susa Dey who I loved since the Partridge family. Harry Hamlin was there too.

 

My father in law jokingly referred to my husband and I as "a couple of two star people at a five star event." So true, but so cool!

Wow, by his mom saying a simple "no", she probably saved her boy's life.

 

Yes, she did. The moral : Listen to mom- she's always right!