BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Carl Bryan spent much of his time at Memorial Stadium announcing for Bakersfield College athletics, including football and track and field. Bryan's loved ones say that's why it was important to honor him in the place he loved.
On Friday, March 3, the family, friends, and loved ones of Carl Bryan gathered at Bakersfield College's Memorial Stadium to remember the life of the Voice of the Renegades.
Former Renegades team doctor Michael Tivnon says he came to return a favor.
"In 2000, my wife passed away, and it was right at the start of football season, so I was down on the sidelines shortly after her funeral. I was not in a very good frame of mind, but before the game - I didn't know it was going to happen - but he had a moment of silence for her and it was pretty emotional," remembered Tivnon. "Gave me a big boost."
According to Tivnon, that was just the type of person Bryan was.
Tivnon traveled with the Renegades for hundreds of football games, both home and away. He says while spending time at out-of-town games, he heard plenty of other announcers, but says Bryan stood out.
Best friend and fellow announcer Jesse Peña agrees, saying Bryan always came prepared with a deep knowledge of the game and the student athletes participating in each sport.
"It was just a welcoming voice, and the knowledge, like I said. Parents come to track meets and they want to hear their kids' names being announced. They want to hear stats on their kids, and Carl provided that for all these people, and that's why he was so well known as the Voice of the Renegades," said Peña.
It was Bryan's intentionality that Peña says made a lasting impact on people's lives.
"A family came up and they had a little girl in a wheelchair," Peña remembers. "The little girl, her dream was to sit in the booth and watch the football game from the booth. I get on the phone and I called Carl and I told him about it, and he said 'Well, bring her up here!' I said 'Carl, it's a long ways up and she's in a wheelchair.'"
According to Peña, Bryan's response was to tell him to carry the girl up to the booth.
"So I had her dad and a couple other guys that I knew, we took her up here in the wheelchair. We carried her all the way to the top, and Carl moved to a set aside area and let her come in there, and that was amazing. A year later, I ran into the parents and they told me their daughter still talks about it," said Peña.
Peña says he'll miss his friend's voice the most and talking with him on the radio during the meets.
Bakersfield College honored Bryan's dedication to student athletes during Friday's track and field meet, where one male and one female high jump athlete was honored with a plaque in Carl Bryan's name.
Bryan's friends and colleagues say they'll always think of his voice whenever they're at Memorial Stadium.
"My father went to school here, I went to school here, and my kids went to school here, so we got BC blood running back to the 30's," said Tivnon. "A lot of great people come through here, and he was one of them."
