Respected, award-winning VOCM News reporter and producer Meech Kean died suddenly on Saturday. He was 27.
Kean joined the VOCM News team three years ago as a reporter and soon became the station’s legislative reporter.
“In the space of a couple of years he went from straight out of journalism school to producing an award-winning program,” said VOCM News web editor Andrew Hawthorne, who spoke with The Telegram on behalf of the station.
“He had a meteoric rise.”
Kean worked as a producer for the morning show and was part of the VOCM News team that earned gold at the Atlantic Journalism Awards in the last two years.
Hawthorne described Kean as enthusiastic, energetic, humorous, and “a man of immense integrity” who “knew exactly what the story had to be.”
Kean held a business degree and a diploma in applied ethics from Memorial University, as well as a journalism degree from the University of King’s College.
He was respected and highly regarded both by media colleagues and the people he reported on as a legislative reporter.
A large group of people expressed their condolences on social media this week.
Premier Dwight Ball tweeted that Kean was one of the “brightest” and “sharpest media colleagues he had the pleasure to work with.”
The official Twitter account for the House of Assembly tweeted on behalf of all MHAs and staff that Kean’s “dedication and professionalism was admired and respected.”
Kean’s longtime friends remember him as someone who was charismatic, creative, ambitious and adventurous.
“Meech was in every social circle and brought a lot of people together,” said high school friend Luke Blumer, who went to Moncton High School with Kean.
“I think I can speak for a lot of people when I say if it weren’t for Meech, we probably wouldn’t have turned into the people we are today.”
Longtime friend Steven Belliveau attended school with Kean from middle school all the way up to university when they were roommates while attending MUN.
“All of life’s stresses felt lighter around him,” said Belliveau. “He put everyone else ahead of him.”
Friends and colleagues spoke about Kean’s love for his family and expressed their condolences.
Twitter: @juanitamercer_
