The former Governor of Ohio, John Gilligan, passed away Thursday. While he was Governor of Ohio, he lived at an address on Parkway boulevard, less than 2 miles from where I Lived just across the railroad track, in East Columbus, Ohio. I attended St Charles Borromeo Preparatory School in the late 1970's, where I had a teacher who had a great influence on my life. Dr. Michael J. Gilligan, the governors' son. I had him for English my Sophomore year, and British Literature my Junior year. One of the reasons I started writing a Journal when I was 15 years old was because of the urging of Dr. Gilligan. I wrote a paper about a how the song "Hummingbird" by the Duo Seals and Crofts had influenced me, and he gave me an A. He encouraged my literary interests, and I continued to write everyday, including my time in College at Ohio State University, and especially my several years overseas in Military service.
I even got to meet Dr. Gilligan's younger sister Kathy once when she stopped by our campus. That would be Kathy Sebelius, former governor of Kansas and presently a cabinet Secretary for Presient Obama. That is my 6 degrees of separation story. I doubt any of them would ever remember me, but I remember them. May he rest in peace. He made difficult decisions in a difficult time and took responsibility for them. It is a shame so many of today's political elected can't follow his example.
