"From Storyteller to Legend: Honoring John Murphy's Unforgettable Tales"
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"From Storyteller to Legend: Honoring John Murphy's Unforgettable Tales"
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A personal reflection on losing the journalist who chronicled our daughter's dreams and our community's heart |
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The news hit me this morning like a punch I wasn't expecting. John Murphy passed away suddenly on November 21st. He was only 69.
My wife Liz cried when we read it. Not the kind of tears you shed for someone you barely knew - but the kind reserved for people who actually saw you, who took time with your family, who made your kid feel like her story mattered.
John did that for our daughter Bella. And for hundreds of other families across the Inland Empire.
The Man Behind the BylineIf you followed local high school sports - especially women's volleyball - you knew John Murphy's work. His casual, funny, engaging style made you feel like you were sitting next to him in the stands, watching these young athletes chase their dreams.
The Los Angeles Press Club knew it too. They named him "Sports Journalist of the Year" in 2024. The judge wrote: "With a knack for finding non-famous athletes who make a difference in the lives of others, Murphy writes excellent, memorable pieces."
But here's what made John different from other sportswriters: He wasn't just covering games. He was documenting character. Work ethic. Resilience. The human stories behind the scores.
How John Captured Our Family's StoryLast year, John sat down with me, Liz, and Bella to write about her journey toward the military academies. Bella had her sights set on the Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy, or Merchant Marine Academy - following in the footsteps of her brother Andrew, who graduated from the Naval Academy. John got it immediately.
He understood that this wasn't just about volleyball recruiting or academic achievement. This was about a three-generation military family, my father who flew helicopters as a medic in Vietnam, me serving as an Army medic, my son Andrew at the Naval Academy, and now Bella preparing to continue that legacy of service.
In his article "Naval Academy Hopeful Samaniego on a Mission," John wrote with genuine respect and curiosity. He interviewed Bella about her early YouTube channel "The Weekly Bell," her training regimen (those 5 a.m. wake-ups and countless push-ups), and her transformation from a kid who thought the military was "crazy" to a young woman committed to serving her country.
Liz got emotional during that interview. So did I, though I tried to hide it. John caught all of it - the pride, the nervousness, the weight of legacy. He wrote: "The military is in Samaniego's blood."
He was right.
When Bella ultimately chose the Coast Guard Academy, John was there to document that too. His follow-up noted her commitment with the simple dignity it deserved: "Beyond grateful for the opportunity to serve my country, compete at the collegiate level, and take on the challenge ahead."
That's what John did - he made space for young people to declare their dreams out loud.
The Details Revealed CharacterJohn Murphy didn't just show up, grab a few quotes, and file copy on deadline. He dug into these kids' lives. Where they came from. What obstacles they'd overcome. What made them tick. Reading through John's body of work, you see it everywhere:
John found these stories because he looked for them. He believed they mattered.
Every student-athlete wasn't just a statistic or roster filler to John - they were human beings with stories worth telling.
A Journalistic Vagabond Who Found His CallingJohn's career spanned nearly five decades - from Watsonville to Oregon, from the Bay Area to the Inland Empire. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Bruce Jenkins called him a "journalistic vagabond." But John wasn't wandering aimlessly.
He was following the story.
He started as a stringer covering Peninsula high school sports while attending San Francisco State. After graduating, he became Sports Editor of the Watsonville Register-Pajaronian for 11 years. Then came stops in Oregon, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Victorville, San Bernardino, and finally Redlands.
Through it all, his focus remained the same: high school athletes and human-interest stories.
"I like meeting the various coaches and athletes and writing about people with compelling back stories," John said in an interview last year. "I most enjoy covering football and girls' volleyball. Football is like a grand pageant and is a battle between entire communities. Volleyball is the biggest spectator sport for girls and is as exciting as any high school sport there is."
He was as comfortable writing about girls' volleyball as boys' football. That mattered to parents of daughters like ours.
The Awards Tell Part of the StoryJohn's trophy case was impressive:
But here's what the awards don't capture: The gratitude of families who now have documented proof that their kid's hard work mattered. The encouragement struggling athletes received when they saw their name in print. The pride coaches felt when John highlighted their programs' character, not just their win-loss records.
John didn't write for judges or awards committees. He wrote for the families sitting in those bleachers, the kids sweating through summer conditioning, the coaches building programs one season at a time.
When We Lost a Good OneOur community doesn't just lose journalists when people like John pass away. We lose institutional memory. Storytelling. Connection. John Murphy was a fixture on the sidelines. He showed up - to games, practices, championship matches, league tournaments. He was there in the scorching heat of Little League championships and the packed gyms of volleyball playoffs.
According to the tributes pouring in on social media, John was recently spotted at a CIF Southern Section volleyball playoff game. Still working. Still documenting. Still believing these stories deserved to be told. He passed away suddenly on November 21st in Highland. No warning. No goodbye.
His family - son Kyle, siblings Cathy, Anne, and Jim, nephews Chris and Dan, great-nephews Ryan and Marty, and partner Maria Lopez - now carry the weight of that absence.
So do we.
What John Gave UsJohn Murphy made our community better by documenting the character and dreams of young people who don't play at UCLA or USC, who won't go pro, who are building themselves through sports and preparing for lives of service, leadership, and contribution.
His work created a permanent record of achievement and growth for hundreds of families - including mine - who will cherish those articles forever.
John's casual, funny, engaging style made complex stories accessible. He had the gift of making you care about people you'd never met. If you have one of John's articles about your kid, save it. Print it. Frame it. Because in 20 years, when your child is serving their country or leading their industry or raising their own family, they'll look at that article and remember: Someone believed my story was worth telling.
A Personal Thank YouJohn Murphy never covered professional sports or Olympic athletes. He covered our kids. Our neighbors. Our community.
He treated every story with dignity and care - whether it was about a star quarterback or a junior libero preparing for a military academy. That's what John did for our daughter Bella. For our family. For our community.
We're grateful beyond words. We'll miss him deeply. And we'll make sure his work is remembered.
Memorial InformationA funeral Mass for John Melchior Murphy will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 19th, at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Burlingame. A private family burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, with afternoon reception details to be announced at the Mass. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to:
Rest easy, John. Your work lives on in the families you served and the stories you told.
Carlos Samaniego,EA |