GoFundMe page established to assist Ed Whelan

In January, I wrote two columns detailing the lives and current whereabouts of former Portland TV sportscasters through the years (Column 1 link, Column 2 link).

One of those mentioned was the jocular Ed Whelan, who worked at KOIN from 1980-84 and again from 1988-2007.

Whelan had unique schtick and became a bit of a Portland institution through the years.

In 1998, though, he suffered a stroke while covering the Winter Olympic Games in Nagano. While he continued to work at KOIN for nearly a decade, his life began a tailspin as his health gradually deteriorated.

Good friend and former KOIN sportscaster Pat Hellberg recently started a GoFundMe campaign to help Whelan, now 77 and in need of a walker and motorized scooter to get around.

Hellberg explains what has happened with Ed’s life this way:

“Living on social security/modest earnings from a part-time job (he is a dispatcher at a towing company) and with his mobility on the decline, he wasn’t able to take care of regular house maintenance. As a result, the house now needs a significant number of repairs to get it into shape for sale. That includes new flooring, new siding, a complete kitchen remodel and new bathroom fixtures. The goal is to pull whatever equity he can from the sale to provide some financial cushion for the coming years.

“Ed recently made the decision to move out of the house and into an assisted living facility where he could get the care he needs. On his second day there, Ed’s motorized scooter was stolen.

“While his spirits are high and he says he’s excited about entering ‘the fourth quarter’ of his life, ‘The Big Daddy of Sports’ could really use your help to buy a new scooter, take care of his assisted living rent and medical bills and pay for the repair of his house to prepare it for sale.”

Here is the link to Hellberg’s GoFundMe page.

Whelan — real name Wayland Boot — is a very good soul. I encourage anyone with a mind to help to do so.

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