Shelby Grad of the L.A. TIMES reports today:
Mike Penner, the veteran Los Angeles Times sportswriter who made international headlines in 2007 when he announced he was transsexual and began working under the byline “Christine Daniels,” has died.
Colleagues said today that Penner was found dead at his Los Angeles home and that suicide was the suspected cause of death. He was 52.
When he made the transformation, Penner wrote, “I am a transsexual sportswriter. It has taken more than 40 years, a million tears and hundreds of hours of soul-wrenching therapy for me to work up the courage to type those words. I realize many readers and colleagues and friends will be shocked to read them.”
Penner was given a special blog by the L.A. Times to write about his transition into a female, which never included any surgical changes. He switched back to Mike Penner in 2008.
Here on SbB, I covered Penner’s decision to become “Christine” quite extensively as it was happening. You can read all about Penner’s transformation, and then return to male status here.
2:16 pm on November 28th, 2009
One less psychotic freak the world has to deal with. Good riddance.
2:18 pm on November 28th, 2009
People like Truth contribute to the deaths of people like Mike. People like Truth are also responsible for the success of Sarah Palin. Truth, do as Mike did and off yourself, thanks.
2:44 pm on November 28th, 2009
Bad, your comment is as stupid as Truth’s.
Sad to hear that this guy’s life ended this way. My condolences to the family.
2:59 pm on November 28th, 2009
It’s very sad when someone has enough mental demons to drive themselves to this. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to wake up in the morning and deal.
And yes, I would happily trade the first two commenters to off themselves, if Penner could have lived a mental aguish-free life
3:06 pm on November 28th, 2009
I don’t feel bad/sorry for people who kill themselves and think of them as idiots.
3:15 pm on November 28th, 2009
Let’s GO Noles!!!
3:16 pm on November 28th, 2009
Nobody expects you to feel sorry for them, just show some respect for the family.
3:44 pm on November 28th, 2009
Somebody who can take a suicide story and turn it into a political shot might have their own demons to deal with…
7:14 pm on November 28th, 2009
Looks like a very nice person. How sad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As for the ignorant buffoons on this thread:
Karma knows its way around…
8:17 pm on November 28th, 2009
Go Frogs!
8:17 pm on November 28th, 2009
He shore was purty….
Go Frogs!
2:21 pm on November 29th, 2009
suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems
2:55 am on December 7th, 2009
I’m sorry that he was so messed up that he had to learn the hard way. It makes you wonder what happened in his life that is known or not known about.
I just hate to see another human being in pain especially when it comes to this type of thing.
There’s always a root behind it.
Sorry for all his loved ones.
I hope he knew the Lord.