Wichita Northwest photographer has died, family friend says

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Linda Gregory, the photographer for the Wichita Northwest football team, has died, a family friend told KSN.

Linda was hospitalized on Monday after players were accidentally pushed into her, causing her to fall and hit her head.

She had been on life support with minimal brain function when her husband, Mel Gregory, and her family met with the organ donation team, deciding to honor her final wish.

At 3:42 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8 Mel posted to Facebook, saying, “She has passed and is at peace.”

For family-friend Joanna Chadwick, Linda and Mel became like a third set of grandparents to her sons. She said that one night, while working a game at Maize High School, she didn’t have anyone else to watch her son.

Linda volunteered, showing him how to take pictures and even buying him a snow cone.

“Frankly, I think we all need to have a Linda in us. We all need to be that person that does something good for nothing in return,” said Chadwick.

On Wednesday, Mel said that she was one of a kind. He said they will honor her wish to have her organs donated, calling it her final act of generosity.

Wichita Northwest played against Wichita Heights on Friday. This was the team’s first game since the incident, and the community honored Linda.