Michigan basketball announcer stepping into his late father’s shoes

By KENDALL KEYS, JAMES PAXSON

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    GRAND BLANC, Michigan (WNEM) — Charlie Carmody was the voice of the Grand Blanc Bobcats until his death in 2017. His son Jonathan has picked up the torch.

“My husband, four years ago, passed away. He was a teacher here at Grand Blanc, a math teacher. He was the voice of the Bobcats since 1983,” said Chris Carmody.

“When my dad passed, I think then it kind of hit me. Like huh, maybe I’m kinda destined to do this,” said Jonathan Carmody.

Now Jonathan Carmody is stepping into his father’s shoes and giving the Bobcats their voice back.

A voice that Chris Carmody said is all too familiar.

“When he’s on the mic and I close my eyes, I can hear him. I can hear my husband. I can hear Charlie,” Chris Carmody said.

Being at Grand Blanc High School games is nothing new for Jonathan Carmody.

“He always came with dad to the games and would sit on his lap,” Chris Carmody said.

“I’ve just kind of been like his little wing man for a number of years. I can’t tell you how many,” Jonathon Carmody said.

After Charlie Carmody died, Grand Blanc’s Athletic Director approached Jonathan asking if he wanted to fill his father’s seat.

“He gave me girls’ freshman basketball to start, then I earned girls’ JV, then I did boys’ freshman basketball, then I did freshman football, now I do all basketball and football,” Jonathon Carmody said.

This week is the first time Jonathan Carmody is a full-time varsity announcer.

“The occasional moments, like before the anthem, I kind of get that passing moment of, ‘okay, dad’s been here, you can do this as well, you got this,'” Jonathan Carmody said.

“We always say we feel him. We feel his love, we feel his presence all the time. He’d be so, he’d be beaming proud. He’d be so proud of him,” Chris Carmody said.

Jonathan Carmody is a junior at U of M Flint. He is studying secondary education and wants to be a math teacher, just like his father was.

He said he will keep announcing as long as he has a voice.

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