Dionne Miller: Jeff Dickerson was a living inspiration
For the record, I don't enjoy writing about my friends in the past tense. I mean, not at all. But this week I lost a genuine friend way too early, way sooner than I expected and in an entirely unfair way. Jeff Dickerson, who passed away Tuesday due to complications from colon cancer, was a living inspiration.
I met Jeff shortly after moving to Chicago in 2012. We became fast friends on the Bears beat, bonding over road trips where JD brought us all together for some of his favorite things - great food, great wine, great conversation. Over the years, as we worked more closely together at ABC 7, my respect for him grew - he was professional, sharp and so well connected - and I quickly got to know a man that it seemed everyone loved and respected. Look no further than the GoFundMe page established for his son, which is well over $1 million.
We truly bonded over being parents, especially to active boys born exactly one week apart. When we met, they were strong-willed toddlers who have now grown into tween-agers. One of our last conversations was about how we were going to celebrate their 11th birthdays.
When his wife, Caitlin, passed away in 2019, he embraced his role as both dad and mom without complaint. He would get up early and take Parker to the golf course, drop him at school, rush to Halas Hall for Bears practice, write stories, do radio hits, then be there to pick him up and take him to whatever practice the season had him in. They'd get home late, eat dinner together and do it all over again.
Parker is an exceptional baseball talent and fiercely competitive (like his mom). Jeff could not have been prouder. Parker was Jeff's whole world.
And Jeff never complained. Even when he was diagnosed, I cried. He told me to stop, assuring me that he's in great hands and not to worry because he would beat it. He had to. He - and I - believed that until the end.
When things quickly declined a couple weeks ago, I was an emotional wreck. How could this be real? This family has been through so much! When I reached out I wasn't sure what to say but in true JD fashion he calmed me down.
He believed he could get stronger with another round of chemo Dec. 28.
"I just have to get to the 28th."
He said it three or four times. Words I won't ever forget.
Because he did get to the 28th, his last day, and ended up leaving all of us stronger.
Love you, JD
• Dionne Miller is a sports anchor and reporter for ABC 7.