Email this page
Print this page
del.icio.us
digg
FeedLoss of a San Diego Son
The sad story of the untimely departure of Mark Gregg, a San Diego free spirit and adventurer
I received an email on August 4 with the name "Mark Gregg" in the subject line. This wasn't out of the ordinary. I knew that Mark and I would be premiering our feature, The Pacific And Eddy, at the San Diego Film Festival in September. This was probably just one of Mark's hometown friends inquiring about the screening time or venue location. As I began to read the content of the email, I recognized a strange yet familiar tone in the writing. My stomach began to tighten up before I got to the third line in which I was informed of Mark's tragic passing twelve days prior [Gregg was shot and killed by LAPD officers after an altercation involving a knife]. We had met for coffee a few weeks earlier and he seemed fine. We laughed about how absurd Hollywood could sometimes be, and discussed future projects we were working on. After a few laughs, I wished him well and he was off to an audition.
Click here to watch the trailer for The Pacific and Eddy
Mark was a truly magical person who could captivate an entire room with his natural presence and energy. He possessed a seemingly limitless cache of adventure stories, often so fantastical you wondered how they could be true. I distinctly remember him from Torrey Pines High--you couldn't miss him. He was the drama star with the huge afro who would stroll through the quad at lunch with a huge smile on his face. He wasn't self-conscious or insecure like everyone else at school (myself included). He knew some things the rest of us wouldn't learn for years … be yourself, don't waste your time worrying about how others view you, don't judge people, etc.
Mark reached out to people who were less fortunate or just plain different. In high school, he befriended a mentally-challenged kid from the special needs class and would hang out with him on the weekends. While the rest of us were worried about where the coolest parties were, Mark would pick up his new friend on a Friday and drop him back off on Sunday.
He didn't do things like this for his own ego or pride, but because he was genuinely interested in the people who lived in the margins. He related to them and had empathy for anybody who was different or down on their luck. He also liked to have a good time. We were in San Jose for the Cinequest Film Festival and, though we didn't know anyone, went to the opening night gala. By the time I got back from getting our first round of drinks, I turned around to see Mark laughing and telling jokes with a group of filmmakers; he’d made friends with these people in a matter of minutes. He was genuine and non-threatening, and they let him into their circle immediately. It was one of Mark's many gifts--the ability to bring people together.
Although Mark never ran out of his own stories and adventures to tell, it seemed that most of the time he was far more interested in learning about you. During our grueling three-and-a-half week shoot for The Pacific And Eddy, he was such a force of nature that he became an instant hit on set. He’d turn up on days when he didn't have a scene just so he wouldn't miss out on anything. When he wasn't acting in a scene, he’d help move equipment or tables or whatever. He was a true joy to be around professionally and personally.
It saddens me greatly that he is no longer with us—that we’ll never work together again and that I'll never hear about another one of his adventures. He lived fearlessly, and the impressions he left on those who knew him will always be remembered. The brilliant narrative of his life was senselessly cut short and we’re left with fond memories, sorrow, and confusion.
We'll miss you, Mark.
There will be a memorial service for Mark Gregg before the screening at the Westin Horton Plaza San Diego Hotel (910 Broadway Circle, San Diego 92101, in the Harbor Room on the third floor) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The service is open to the public.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Mark Gregg, 25, was shot July 24 in Hollywood by Los Angeles Police Department officers at about 1:35 a.m. He died twenty minutes later. According to the account provided by the LAPD, Gregg had attacked a male acquaintance in his building with a knife and failed to respond to officers' commands outside the building. Eyewitness reports vary. —Editor
Do you like what you read? Subscribe to San Diego Magazine »
