Mort family struggles with loss
Family gathers at cemetery for Bryan Mort’s birthdayBy LISA M. HOFFMANN, Staff Writer
Article Photos
IRON MOUNTAIN - Although Bryan W. Mort's life was celebrated on Sunday, friends and family members are still coping with the loss.
Bryan Wayne Mort was killed by a gunman at the East Kingsford train bridge on July 31, 2008. Family and friends gathered at his grave site at Iron Mountain Cemetery Park on Sunday - the day he would have turned 20 years of age.
Sarah McDarment, sister of Bryan's, said the family is having trouble coping.
She said her 17-year-old brother has moved to California to be with their other brother. Her children and her parents are also trying to cope with the loss of an uncle and son. And Bryan's fiance, Jen Varnadore, has moved in with her to help with the children.
"I wish he would have had a chance to be a dad," McDarment said. "It's hard to explain to a three-, seven- and two-year-old. My three-year-old doesn't understand, and my seven year-old is going through counseling."
McDarment added her three-year-old keeps asking for her Uncle Bryan, so they visit his grave site often. McDarment and her children went to the East Kingsford train bridge on Sunday morning.
"It's really, really hard. I miss him and love him," she said of her brother, Bryan.
Bryan's father, David Mort, said he doesn't ever want his son forgotten.
"The short time he was here, he made an impression," Mort said. "I will never forget him."
David Mort said what happened to his son and the other two teens - Tiffany Pohlson, 17, of Norway, Anthony Spigarelli, 18, of Iron Mountain - who lost their lives was a total tragedy.
"The Bible says an 'eye for an eye' ... it's not fair," he said.
Trever Rogers of Iron Mountain, a good friend of Bryan's, said he really misses him and the old times - playing video games or shooting basketball.
"I hope he has a great birthday," Rogers said.
Josh Wells of Iron Mountain, another good friend, said he and his wife continue to think about their friend. Bryan and Wells had planned to breed pit-bulls. The first litter of pups was not bred. Wells now has a litter of nine pups.
"There's not a day that goes by we find ourselves saying 'if Bryan was here,' especially now when we look at those pups. Nothing is ever the same," Wells said.
Bryan's brothers could not be at the celebration because they live in California, but they called a family member's cell phone and wished him a happy birthday.
About 50 friends and family members gathered at Bryan's grave site. An opening prayer was given, Chris Ashburn and friends played acoustics and those who wished to spoke about Bryan.
Three days after Bryan's funeral, Chris Ashburn said he wrote the song, "He Found God" and dedicated it to Bryan. The song was played at Bryan's birthday celebration.
Those who spoke at the gathering said they enjoyed
Bryan's sense of humor.
"You will always be in my heart. You didn't deserve it. With all my soul. There will be a payback. I love you," David Mort said to his son.
Convicted killer Scott J. Johnson, 38, of Breitung Township, will be sentenced at 10 a.m. on Thursday at the Marinette County Courthouse.
He is charged with first-degree intentional homicide by use of a dangerous weapon for the killings. He is also charged with six counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide by use of a dangerous weapon and one count of second degree sexual assault.
He is expected to be sentenced to a maximum of 400 years in prison.
"I feel he deserves the death penalty. He took my son's life and two others. The judge should consider the same," David Mort said.
David Mort is continuing to push for Johnson to be arrested and charged by the federal government.
He said his son was the only one killed on federal railroad property in Michigan. The 'petite waiver' is currently at the White House for the president to sign the order, David Mort said.
David Mort thanked everyone for attending the gathering.
"God bless you all," he said.
Lisa M. Hoffmann's e-mail address is lhoffmann@ironmountaindailynews.com.
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sweetangelof2002
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06-16-10 2:20 PM
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disrespectful? how dare you say that. You have your son, friend, brother, boyfriend, shot in cold blood and "get over it" Let the family greve whatever way they need to to help them cope with this.I know the family and I know some of the friends they are not bad people. They are loved by all
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LuvIronMnt
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05-22-09 10:37 PM
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I found the display by the attendes at the cemetery to be quite disrespectful. Not only was it a bizarre event, the party noise was disturbing to others there to spend peaceful time with lost loved ones. I hope in the future a better suited place is found for such activities.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 4:43 PM
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punishment for "sin" is death.. not "in" sorry.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 4:42 PM
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The bible says "The punishment for in is death." Those words are not referring to "physical" death.This is a new testament passage. (Romans). Paul was referring to "spiritual" death, or an eternity away from God. now, there is much debate as to what "h ell" is.. however, for most Christians, an eternity away from God, no matter where that is, isn't a desirable place. The "sin" Paul means here is the one of rejecting Jesus Christ... .not so much the act of stealing, adultery, etc... All sin is forgivable, even murder. However, the act of murder, scriptures say, can only be spiritually and physically atoned by being executed.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 2:57 PM
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Johnson is still alive and breathing... and his case is newsworthy. Until he's returned to the earth, he, sadly will be topic of discussion.
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pastyluvr
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05-19-09 2:46 PM
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i wasnt going to comment until now, but i just had to say this, and i'm not trying to be rude. this is exactly what this coward wants. his name to be the center of all of this, and its not right! bryan, tiffany, and tony should be the focus!!
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 2:32 PM
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... that Christ had to be crucified in order to provide atonement for the sins of man.. there was no other way, according to the bible. And with Johnson, there is no other way to provide justice for taking those lives, except to have him removed from existence. To simply allow him to live out his days in jail does nothing. I am firmly for the death penalty. In fact, I would debate it to the supreme court and back given the chance. Just remember, EVERYONE has the right to get right with their maker, regardless of who they are and what they have done. Johnson can receive forgiveness from God for killing this kids. HOWEVER, that does not mean he deserves to live.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 2:27 PM
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Turn the other cheek refers to not retaliating when someone wrongs you. Yes, sin is sin, but the bible is very clear about specific sins such as murder. Again, some Christians fail to grasp what eliminating murders like Johnson do not mean we are taking his right to go to heaven away from him. According to the bible, murderers aren't d amned to h ell. They still have ability to get right with God and spend eternity in heaven. The scriptures say that's available to everyone. However, the bible is also clear that there are worldly consequences for sin. For a murderer, the only way, according to the bible, to make atonement, is to be eliminated. It's up to JOHNSON where he ends up after he pays his debt of physical death. It's often not good to think Johnson could go to heaven, but that's what the bible says. The death penalty is simply a way to even the score here on earth. Keep in mind..... cont..
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BlueBlooded
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05-19-09 1:31 PM
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Jimmy... Can you find a similar quotation in the new testament? For Christians, the new testament (since the books were written after Christ came to earth) is what should be followed first and foremost. "An eye for an eye" is now replaced with "turn the other cheek". That isn't to say that he doesn't deserve to be punished, but it does give a different perspective to punishment. Another issue that a lot of Christians (and non-Christians of course) choose to ignore is the fact that all sin is the same in God's eyes. The theft of $2.00 from your friend's purse is the same as taking a life. I, personally, don't understand that concept, but it is Biblical. With that in mind, if Johnson deserves to die, so do all adulterers, thiefs, etc.
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ladyred627
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05-19-09 1:21 PM
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hey jimmy, how come you can use the word hell, and mine gets blocked out
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ladyred627
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05-19-09 1:19 PM
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This loss can never be filled, but giving this guy the death penalty will not fill the gap either, just get pleasure out of the fact that he may never see the outside world, and the world he is going into can be more of a*****than he can ever imagine. If they go federal, he will get off easier, federal has all the niceties of prison life, state is the bottom of the barrel, he will get what he deserves if they just keep him state!
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StormyClearweather
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05-19-09 1:13 PM
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Prison is nothing like in the movies, in some cases its worse.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 12:11 PM
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.. if you believe the Bible, God speaks very clearly about how he does not take favor to people killing others, but it needs to be done in certain cases... this being one of them. Johnson deserves to die... just because the state of Wisconsin says they won't kill him, doesn't change the fact that he needs to be exterminated.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 12:07 PM
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This isn't to say Johnson needs deserves to go to hell, he just needs to be removed from the earth.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 12:06 PM
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"Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.".... Numbers 35:33... there are many more.. .
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 12:04 PM
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A bleeding heart for this clown.... yeah nice.... if you want to TRULY follow the Bible, then Johnson deserves to die for killing those people... and it has nothing to do with the 'eye for an eye' passage.. it's about properly evening the slate... Sure, according the Bible, Johnson could accept Christ, however, he doesn't deserve to live here any longer. Period.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 12:02 PM
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It's likely Johnson is going to be walking into a hornet's nest... sending a guy like that to prison in a state that has no death penalty is often MUCH worse than states where capital punishment is allowed. Believe me.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 12:01 PM
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If anyone has ever been to prison or knows anything about it will tell you that although it's not like in the movies, there are things that go on that most don't believe.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 11:59 AM
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.. stormy is correct... Wisconsin does not have the death penalty.. and what Dahmer did and what Johnson did, P ISSED OFF MANY people.... "Celebrity" type prisoner, known for what Johnson did are not well received by other prisoners and staff alike.....
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 9:47 AM
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Yes, prison is filled with killers and rapists, but you have to realize that Johnson is going in as a celebrity of sorts.... there WILL be people ready to knock him down a notch because of the notoriety he's gotten.... and yes there are kid killers in prison and rapists.. and just about every one of them has to watch their backs every second of the day.. being a rapist, kid killer or child molester in prison is like having the plague.
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jimmybuttermann
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05-19-09 9:44 AM
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Give Johnson a break? He needs help? Yeah.. he needs help. but let me ask you this.... would you want him to get help so he could re-enter society? The only help he needs is to meet his maker.
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danno48
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05-18-09 9:41 PM
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I HOPE THE FAMIELYS LIKE THE MEMORIAL I DONE FOR YOUR KIDS I WAS GLAD TO DO IT DAN
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danno48
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05-18-09 9:25 PM
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HAPPY BDAY B MORT
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danno48
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05-18-09 9:21 PM
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Well aleast they outside sitting around playing music so what???? With the son the lost almost a year ago. PUT YOURSELF IN THERE SHOES 1 TIME U WOULDNT KNOW WHAT GOES THROUGH SOME ONE THAT LOST A SON, GOD BLESS THE FAMILY FOR DOING WHAT THE WANT ITS STILL YOUR SON TY DANNO
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Niggy2008
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05-18-09 8:41 PM
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Can't you guys give this Jojnson guy a break. He obviously needs help. A normal person wouldn't do something like this.HE NEEDS HELP !
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