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Miscellaneous GAH Notes


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Sorry that I have been away from the site for the past couple of weeks.  Sometimes life throws you a curve ball and I got hit with one big time. 

 

A little over a week ago I received a call that my best friend in the world, Vinny, had unexpectedly passed away.  Odds are if you have ever met me at the park you probably have met my buddy Vinny.  We became friends way back in 1981 in junior high - he and I shared a desk in drafting class (for the younger folks, CAD using paper and pencils).  Ever since then we were best pals always hanging out together, traveling the US and the world, and doing countless trips to Great Adventure. 

 

At first, the GA part didn't seem like it would happen too often.  The first coaster he went on was Lightning Loops during our first trip to the park together in 1984.  Always willing to try stuff, he didn't hesitate about riding even though the coaster was more than he anticipated.  When we pulled back into the station he quickly ran down the stairs of the ride, turning more green with each and every step.  When he got to the bottom, he threw his head over a fence, got rid of lunch, stood up and said to me "you think this is fun?".  Luckily, Vinny was always the best sport and such an easy going guy that in a short period of time we were soon in line for another ride and he was all smiles as usual.

 

Over the years we created countless jokes, one-liners, and memories related to just about anything and everything.  To my parents, he became like a second son, and to me, a brother.  Vinny moved to north Jersey in senior year of high school and even though we were always miles and miles apart, he was never more than a phone call or text message away always willing to lend a hand or help anyone he could each and every day.  He was never one to stand center-stage and shied away from the spotlight.  Even on GAH, he was more of a lurker than a poster, but always had ideas of what was possible with the site and supported my obsession with the park.

 

Going to Great Adventure this year is going to be totally different and a little rough without Vinny.  He surely would have been there on March 24th, dressed in multiple layers, willing to battle any weather elements that nature could throw at us.  And odds are, before we got off our Safari Off Road Adventure truck, he would have looked over to me, slapped me in the arm and jokingly said "did we miss the baboons?"!

 

I will truly miss him.

 

2017 Holiday in the Park at GA copy.jpg

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