Gregory John McCormick: 1964-2008
Itchy is dead.
The lifeless body of this talented rock musician, whose band Shock Therapy was a popular group especially in Europe, was found in a field in Detroit last Wednesday, November 5. The Wayne County Coroner's office informed father Glenn McCormick that the body of his son Gregory, better known to all of us as Itchy, bore no signs of trauma. Glenn said that Itchy, who had been living at his father's dental lab in Detroit, had been drinking to excess for some time. While the toxicology report has not been released yet, the general consensus seems to be that he drank himself to death.
Our agency, while still named INNOCENT, first got involved with Itchy in 2005. The Detroit native, who called Germany his home, got involved in some unfortunate activity that placed him in the Michigan State prison system on a charge of arson of a dwelling. It was really just a bonfire in an alley, but an alleged parole violation placed him in prison for 1-20 years. I personally sat with Itchy for his final two parole board interviews. He had been flopped, or refused parole, by the Michigan Parole Board five times. There was no reason for this man to remain in prison, and he struggled in the prison environment. I agreed to help.
Meanwhile, we worked with his team in Germany on a regular basis with communications, and assisted regularly with financial arrangements while he remained in prison. Our office has two huge files labeled Gregory McCormick.
We finally helped him to obtain his parole, he was freed in June, 2007, and I was at the prison gate to welcome him!
But alcohol became a problem almost immediately.
He had such big plans to hold fund-raising concerts for Humanity for Prisoners, and to take Marcia and me to Germany in thanks for all of our work on his behalf. But he couldn't get his emotions together, seemed to resist professional help, and just could not get on top of things. Whatever stamina he had before incarceration was shattered by the prison system.
We can't win them all.
There will be no funeral service. Glenn McCormick is hoping for a simple cremation, and is making an effort to have the ashes sent to Itchy's beloved Germany.
Persons wishing to remember Itchy may do so by sending memorial gifts to:
HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS
20 W. Muskegon Avenue
Muskegon, MI 49440
USA
I am sad. He was a dear friend. I extend sincere sympathy to all of his family and friends.
Auf Wiedersehen, Itchy.
Doug Tjapkes, President
The lifeless body of this talented rock musician, whose band Shock Therapy was a popular group especially in Europe, was found in a field in Detroit last Wednesday, November 5. The Wayne County Coroner's office informed father Glenn McCormick that the body of his son Gregory, better known to all of us as Itchy, bore no signs of trauma. Glenn said that Itchy, who had been living at his father's dental lab in Detroit, had been drinking to excess for some time. While the toxicology report has not been released yet, the general consensus seems to be that he drank himself to death.
Our agency, while still named INNOCENT, first got involved with Itchy in 2005. The Detroit native, who called Germany his home, got involved in some unfortunate activity that placed him in the Michigan State prison system on a charge of arson of a dwelling. It was really just a bonfire in an alley, but an alleged parole violation placed him in prison for 1-20 years. I personally sat with Itchy for his final two parole board interviews. He had been flopped, or refused parole, by the Michigan Parole Board five times. There was no reason for this man to remain in prison, and he struggled in the prison environment. I agreed to help.
Meanwhile, we worked with his team in Germany on a regular basis with communications, and assisted regularly with financial arrangements while he remained in prison. Our office has two huge files labeled Gregory McCormick.
We finally helped him to obtain his parole, he was freed in June, 2007, and I was at the prison gate to welcome him!
But alcohol became a problem almost immediately.
He had such big plans to hold fund-raising concerts for Humanity for Prisoners, and to take Marcia and me to Germany in thanks for all of our work on his behalf. But he couldn't get his emotions together, seemed to resist professional help, and just could not get on top of things. Whatever stamina he had before incarceration was shattered by the prison system.
We can't win them all.
There will be no funeral service. Glenn McCormick is hoping for a simple cremation, and is making an effort to have the ashes sent to Itchy's beloved Germany.
Persons wishing to remember Itchy may do so by sending memorial gifts to:
HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS
20 W. Muskegon Avenue
Muskegon, MI 49440
USA
I am sad. He was a dear friend. I extend sincere sympathy to all of his family and friends.
Auf Wiedersehen, Itchy.
Doug Tjapkes, President
Comments
I know he suffered greatly in prison and, as one now understands, for a 'crime' that was actually just a bagatelle.
Hopefully he is in a better place.
vladd77
Itchy also had a class move called "rip off the opening band." Some friends of mine opened for Shock Therapy and rather than pay them their share, as promised, he left the venue will all the money. He didn't even pay his band members. Itchy was a low-life, selfish jerk; possibly sociopathic.
It may be considered impolite to speak ill of the dead, but Itchy walked a path he made for himself and it does not surprise me that he ended up this way. Sad for his family and friends, but it was inevitable.
I lost touch with him in about 1998, and just found his CDs, so I went online to find him and contact him. I am stunned that he is dead, just stunned. No way to say goodbye either. And so shocked to hear what happened to him.
Life takes strange twists and turns. I can only say that, if Maude's story is true, that I am glad I had such a different experience of Itchy.