Seattle Thunderbirds radio announcer Bruce McDonald dies of cancer

By STEVE HUNTER
Kent Reporter Courts, government reporter
June 6, 2012 ? 2:45 PM

Seattle Thunderbirds radio color commentator and play-by-play voice Bruce McDonald died early Wednesday morning. He was 41.

McDonald was diagnosed with leukemia in April, according to a T-Birds media release. He had been courageously fighting cancer through several rounds of chemotherapy.

?This is a sad day for the Thunderbirds family and our fans," said T-Birds President Russ Farwell. "Bruce loved the T-Birds and his dedication to the team rubbed off on every person Bruce came in contact with. We will miss Bruce dearly and offer our sincerest condolences to his family."

McDonald was born Jan. 8, 1971. He has been a member of the T-Birds junior hockey team family since he was 12. Even though he suffered from cerebral palsy, he regularly attended Seattle Breakers games in a wheelchair with his mother Char.

It was at one these games in 1983 that McDonald was called into the locker room by Breakers head coach Marc Boileau. Boileau gave McDonald a clipboard and asked him to help the team track and keep statistics. He was a member of the team from that point forward.

McDonald joined play-by-play voice Chris Collins as part of the Thunderbirds radio broadcast team for the 1998-99 season. When Collins moved on two years later, McDonald joined Joe Dominey in the broadcast booth. When Dominey moved on a year later, McDonald joined Thom Beuning in the broadcast booth.

Beuning and McDonald have called the action on T-Birds broadcasts for the last 11 seasons, including the last four at the ShoWare Center in Kent.

He is survived by his mother Char, sister Nolette Everett, half-brother Stevie McDonald, half-sister Stacy Talley and Grandmother Bertha.

Memorial services have yet to be announced.

Contact Kent Reporter Courts, government reporter Steve Hunter at shunter@kentreporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5052.

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