Don Perry, the Chick-fil-A PR executive who died today, said to have worked to "maintain harmony" at church ow.ly/cyq24
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Alex Pappas (@AlexPappasDC) July 27, 2012Don Perry, Chick-fil-A’s VP of Corporate Public Relations, has passed away after an apparent heart attack.
Erica M. Martinez, a Chick-fil-A spokeswoman, confirmed the news Friday afternoon in a statement to The Daily Caller.
“We are saddened to report the news to you that our dear friend Don Perry, vice president of public relations, passed away suddenly this morning,” she said. “Don was a member of our Chick-fil-A family for nearly 29 years.”
Martinez added: “For many of you in the media, he was the spokesperson for Chick-fil-A. He was a well-respected and well-liked media executive in the Atlanta and University of Georgia communities, and we will all miss him.”
Perry worked his way up from Chick-fil-A’s original PR staff to the top tier of the company ladder. His death leaves a void in the Chick-fil-A family, particularly in light of the restaurant chain’s escalating PR battle.
Twitterers paused to pay their respects:
So sad. Prayers for his family>>Chick-fil-A public relations leader Don Perry dies suddenly | ajc.com bit.ly/OrzpX0—
Laurie Bailey (@LaurieBailey) July 27, 2012
RIP Don Perry! #ChickFilA—
Savannah (@thesavvy) July 27, 2012
Sad. PR can definitely be a stressful job! Chick-fil-A chief spokesman Don Perry dies unexpectedly latimes.com/business/money…—
colleen wickwire (@cwick) July 27, 2012
Chick-fil-A public relations leader Don Perry dies suddenly ajc.com/business/chick… Man, what a tough way to go out. RIP Mr. Perry.—
Jared Chism (@Jarism) July 27, 2012
Very sad news. Chick-fil-A spokesman Don Perry died this morning. A wonderful human being and genuine pro at his job. A great loss for ATL.—
Leon Stafford (@ajcfoodbiz) July 27, 2012
My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Don Perry.—
jenn/yabooktwins (@jenreadsfiction) July 27, 2012
Praying for the family & friends of Don Perry. So sorry to hear this news. hillcrestcoc.net/donperry.pdf dailycaller.com/2012/07/27/rep… @chickfila—
Averi (@USElection_2012) July 27, 2012
Despite perhaps disagreeing with Perry’s personal views, some on the Left put aside ideological differences and expressed their condolences:
Chick-fil-A's Public Relations VP Don Perry has died. Hope he rests in peace and that @ChickfilA finally lets LGBT people LIVE in peace.—
Karl Frisch (@KarlFrisch) July 27, 2012
So the VP of PR of ChickFilA died of a heart attack. He supported the company's anti-gay support, but death is wished on no one.—
Leo (@theLeoTheory) July 27, 2012
Unfortunately, those liberals were among very few who showed respect.
Wow. @TwitchyTeam will be busy compiling lefty hate tweets over the death of #ChickFilA's African-American PR VP. Sick people.—
Jon G. (@ExJon) July 27, 2012
As Jon predicted, Perry’s death brought out the worst in the Left.
“@tyleroakley: The VP of PR for @ChickFilA reportedly just died of a heart attack. Countdown until someone blames it on the gays: 321…..”—
Austyn King (@AKMF27) July 27, 2012
I think the Internet killed @ChickfilA's VP of PR. He just died of a heart attack.—
Calvin (@aurosan) July 27, 2012
"Thank God I was on the right side of the gay marriage issue!" businessinsider.com/chick-fil-as-h… #Leykis #ChickFilA #PRguydead #gay #gaymarriage—
Tom Leykis (@tomleykis) July 27, 2012
Im trying to force myself to not make jokes about Chickfila PR rep Don Perry's death, but its just so damn hard considering karma.—
Nic Huggins (@nichugme) July 27, 2012
God is coming for all you @ChickfilA assholes! "Chick-fil-A — PR Honcho Dies of Heart Attack tmz.com/2012/07/27/chi… via @TMZ"—
Mariano Svidler (@el_svid) July 27, 2012
jokes with their own punchlines built in: the VP of public relations for chick fil a died of a heart attack this morning.—
(@etfp) July 27, 2012
Now there's a funeral WBC will be appearing at. RT @CStevens790 Chick-fil-A says Don Perry, vice president of public relations, has died.—
Talk Superstation (@TlkSuperstation) July 27, 2012
Oh yeah, the @ChickFilA Vice President of Public Relations has died.
#irony—
The Martian Daily (@TheMartianDaily) July 27, 2012
The VP of @chickfila's PR just died of a heart attack. So non-shocking it's shocking.—
liam copeland (@liam_copeland) July 27, 2012
Holy shit. Two dudes kissed and the chicken man got way too stressed. #chickfila businessinsider.com/chick-fil-as-h…—
(@tommyisarealboy) July 27, 2012
Cudn't have happened to a nicer guy! RT ALERT: Chick-fil-a says VP of PR, Don Perry, passed away suddenly this morning. @ChickFilA—
Haden (@nanakepichu) July 27, 2012
"God Dont Like Ugly" #ChickFilA—
BinoBrownStr8UPnDOWN (@BINOBANGOUT) July 27, 2012
Me thinks someone "upstairs" is not happy with @chickfila – "CHICK-FIL-A PR Honcho Dies of Heart Attack" bit.ly/OUgssI via @TMZ—
Scott Barretto (@ScottBarretto) July 27, 2012
God hates homophobes. RT @CNBC: ALERT: Chick-fil-a says Vice President of Public Relations Don Perry passed away suddenly this morning.—
(@sqeptiq) July 27, 2012
"If I'm wrong about gay marriage, may God strike me down" – #ChickFilA spokesperson—
Ryan Bravo (@DrBravo2) July 27, 2012
God is gay. RT @Eater: Chick-fil-A VP of Public Relations Dies of Heart Attack eater.cc/P6NR2X—
Lyle Fass (@grapeylyle) July 27, 2012
Notable classy “comedian” Rob Delaney weighed in on Perry’s death with his trademark grace:
Defending bigotry IS stressful. RT @Slate: Chick-fil-A’s spokesman died of heart attack: ow.ly/cynNJ—
rob delaney (@robdelaney) July 27, 2012
Despicable. We await the day when such vitriol is the exception rather than the rule. We will likely have to wait a very long time.
May Don Perry rest in peace. Our thoughts are with his friends and loved ones.
