Ken Johnson

I considered writing this on Facebook but, then, the audience would be somewhat limited. Occasionally I write personal things here but today is a mix of both professional and personal.

This is Ken Johnson. You may also know him as @Patories on Twitter.

On Monday evening Ken was in the Milwaukee area on Business with his employer, KPMG. He was traveling in an Uber car when a drunk driver crashed his truck into the side of the minivan, killing both Ken and the driver.

Ken is survived by his wife and two children.

I had the privilege of knowing Ken. Our paths crossed a few times at conferences and he even a full day to come and have lunch with the DFW DFIR people. He was kind and smart, and was willing to give back to the community. His loss will be felt by all that knew him.

When I was at University I was a little older than the other attendees. I was already married and had a two-year-old daughter. Before the start of one class I heard a fellow student boasting about how he was so drunk last night but he didn’t have money to get a taxi home. Instead he drove back. My rage took over for a moment and I tore into him, in front of everyone in the class. How dare he endanger the lives of other people so needlessly? He should be ashamed of himself. No, he should have been arrested for doing something so idiotic. He turned a bright shade of red and looked down at his desk.

Many of the other students looked at me in disbelief. Those that have met me at conferences and such know that I’m somewhat unassuming, only interjecting when I feel it absolutely necessary, but there was no way I was going to let this go.

How is it possible that, after numerous campaigns and public service messages, that this just doesn’t get through to people? If you drive drunk, you exponentially increase the chances of you getting into an accident. Don’t do it!

Ken’s death was senseless and completely avoidable. His wife will now live on without her husband. His two small children will grow up with few memories of their father. Lives have been forever changed because someone selfishly made the decision because it was likely only a short distance and, after all, what’s the worst that could happen, right?

If you drive drunk, you are a criminal and no friends of mine. You also deserve everything that happens to you as a result.

Sorry to see you go Ken, you’ll be missed.