After 40+ years, WCCO photojournalist Brad Earley calls it a career
MINNEAPOLIS — After more than 40 years on the job, one of our favorite WCCO photographers is getting ready to retire.
Brad Earley has done it all during his time at the station, covering sports, news and pretty much anything that was asked of him.
John Lauritsen shows us what's made Earley such a good worker and a good friend.
Dec. 28, 1981 was the day Earley walked into WCCO. And it also happened to be his birthday.
"I'm rolling down, pushing 43 years, but I still remember my first hour like it was yesterday," said Earley.
It was the beginning of a career that, at times, felt surreal for a kid from northeast Minneapolis. When the station needed something, Earley was there.
From covering bombings in Tel Aviv, Israel during the Gulf War to covering the 35W Bridge Collapse in his own backyard. Earley was one of the first photographers on scene.
"The destruction was unbelievable, but it was dead silent. Not even a siren had started yet," said Earley.
The job took him every which way — here, there, up and down. He volunteered to bungee jump for a story in 1990.
"I thought he was really hot," said Esme Murphy with a laugh.
Murphy knows Earley as the guy who could make people feel at ease during an interview. But he also wouldn't shy away from a media scrum.
"He was the person you wanted when you were going into a gaggle with tons of photographers and you needed your shot to be the best and our shot was always the best with Brad," said Earley. "He is a bear but he's a sweetheart. He really is."
As talented as Earley is, he's also a bit of a class clown, with his signature thumbs-up photos and his gift of keeping things loose when the news got heavy.
"What I remember about Brad is he has always been a champion of the underdog and the young reporter," said Mike Max.
Earley has shot sports stories with Max since the 1980s, covering two Twins World Series victories and numerous Super Bowls. But much like news and sports, life can throw you a curveball. That happened to Earley in 2019 when his wife and high school sweetheart Cheryl passed away after a short illness.
"He leaned on WCCO and WCCO took care of him because of all that he had done," said Max. "They really cared about him and to see how much that meant to him, it meant a lot to all of us I think."
"Oh yeah, I'll take care of you. And that's something he always said, 'I'll take care of Maxie. I'll take care of Esme.' He takes care of people," said Guy Still, WCCO news assignment manager.
That's why it's thumbs-up to an incredible career.
"It's still as great now as we were 43 years ago. And don't let any of these old-timers tell you we're not," said Earley during his retirement party.
And as the old saying goes, we're hoping this isn't goodbye, it's see you later, Earley.
"I've had someone come up to me since and say I came to 'CCO because of the family atmosphere and I definitely know Brad embodies that. We're going to miss that," said Still.
Earley is actually the third WCCO photographer to retire this year who has had roughly 40 years of experience or more.
Just like he started his WCCO career on his birthday, Earley will also retire on his birthday, which is Saturday.
