Prominent ESPN writer Wright Thompson and food writer John T. Edge were reportedly involved in a brutal car wreck Wednesday morning near Athens, GA.
John Semmes posted about the wreck on Facebook, with a photo showing a terribly damaged car. The post’s caption said that “Wright is ok and has been discharged,” while John T. “is pretty banged up in an Athens hospital.”
The Ringer’s Chris Vernon shared a screencap of the Facebook post on Twitter, and confirmed that Thompson was involved in the crash, but is okay.
He is no longer on twitter, but I know many of you know my buddy Wright Thompson of ESPN. This happened this morning. Insanely scary but happy that he is ok. pic.twitter.com/mAE2a1rjWw
— Chris Vernon (@ChrisVernonShow) May 24, 2018
Vernon added that the crash was between a Mini Cooper and Suburban.
for sure. it was a mini cooper vs a suburban
— Chris Vernon (@ChrisVernonShow) May 24, 2018
Thompson, 41, started his career as a writer with the Times-Picayune and Kansas City Star, before becoming a full-time writer with ESPN in 2006. He was Awful Announcing’s Sportswriter of the Month for March after writing three brilliant pieces for ESPN, as Alex Putterman explained:
Ask 100 sportswriters to name their favorite sportswriter, and no one will receive more votes than Wright Thompson. Though few people alive can write like Thompson, what really separates the ESPN Magazine feature wizard is his special ability to figure out what makes someone tick. He takes inscrutable subjects (Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, for example) and offers clear-eyed views into their psyches.
In March, ESPN published three pieces from Thompson, and all were brilliant. There was a piercing profile of Ichiro, for which he traveled to Japan and observed the legendary outfielder’s meticulous routine. And a beautiful dispatch from the funeral of Italian soccer star Davide Astori. And best of all, a truly illuminating piece on the unique position of UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma.
And Vernon alluded to on the tweet, Thompson quit Twitter years ago after not being a fan of it: “There is nothing I miss about it and I will never ever get back on it.”
So, thankfully Thompson is okay, and let’s hope Edge — known for his writing on Southern Food — will be okay as well.
UPDATE: John T. Edge tweeted that he’s “bored in bed, waiting for meds.”
Bored in bed, waiting for meds
— John T Edge (@johntedge) May 24, 2018
