By GLEN BIEGEL
We fought, we argued, we disagreed, and we were more blessed to know each other than you can imagine.
Dan Fagan was a hero of mine. Heroes are funny in that most of the time, you are somewhat distant from them. You don’t really know them. That is what helps to make them your hero. Dan was someone I knew very well. Perhaps I didn’t perfectly understand him, but I always knew him. His heart, his courage, his drive. After years and years of doing shows together and having it out on the radio, I can safely say I loved Dan. He was worth my time. He gave me his time, and he cared for me.
Dan was a funny guy in just about every way. What set Dan apart and built the greatest talk show in Alaska’s history was his humor. This was especially true with women (Sharon Leighow and Charisse Millett etc.) Dan found the humor in the uncomfortable and drew us in like moths to a flame.
We listened to Dan because we were always in on the joke, and he knew how to play it for all it was worth.
After KFQD, Dan, Bonnie Voves, and I did a show together for a long time. I haven’t talked to Bonnie about this, but I always thought he asked her to be on the show for both a new and enlightened perspective, but also because he knew he and I would fight, and neither of us knew when to quit fighting.
I remember when we were having some trouble with an issue, Dan would remind me of several things: I was wrong. He was right. And iron sharpens iron. He knew that we were both invested in our positions. That we thought, prayed, and researched them to be ready for battle each day. He liked to test me. My ability to stick to a point was what he liked most about talking to me.
Dan and I were very different in our approach to gathering information. I didn’t trust others as much as myself. I always figured they either had something to hide or something to gain, so I would trust my own research and instincts. There is, however, only so much you can do on your own. Dan cast a wide net. He interviewed people, asked a lot of questions, and had a nose for duplicitousness that rivaled a bloodhound. He loved asking gotcha questions. That’s another reason he rose to the top.
Dan always had a side and a team, and it was his most profound sorrow when members of his team would betray him. This angst was a constant friction between Dan and me. It was also one of the most significant parts of his heart and soul. He wanted the truth more than friends, more than comfort, and he wanted people to live up to his high expectations more than anything.
I could go on for a long time about Dan and everything I remember. All the things he taught me, and how much I miss having more of him in my life. Ultimately, I pray that we remember Dan fondly, with the humor and passion he was so gifted to possess and share with everyone he met.
Dan continues to inspire me to be my best self. For that, I thank him and pray his journey to Our Father’s arms is swift. Thank you for being my closest ally when I needed you most. May God bless you, Dan Fagan, as he blessed me for knowing you.
Glen Biegel is a technology security professional, Catholic father of nine, husband to a saint, and politically active conservative.