ATLANTA — Few people knew Ted Turner better than George McKerrow.
Turner and McKerrow founded Ted’s Montana Grill more than 25 years ago in part to sustain and grow herds of bison across the American west.
“Ted was the most loyal, honest, trustworthy friend I’ve ever had. He always had your back. He had a big heart. He cared about the world. He cared about nature. He cared about people. And he spread that in everything he did‚" he said.
McKerrow is now mourning the loss of his business partner and friend. Ted Turner died on Wednesday at the age of 87. McKerrow says he knew Turner was ill for a long time, but the news of his death still hurts.
“You know, I’m brokenhearted‚" McKerrow told Channel 2’s Richard Elliot.
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Turner took over his father’s billboard business and turned it into a vast media empire that included CNN, Superstation TBS and Turner Classic Movies. But he also donated a $1 billion to the United Nations and launched a global initiative to stop nuclear war.
Metro Atlanta Chamber President Katie Kirkpatrick grew up in Atlanta. She says without Turner and CNN, the city might not have won the 1996 Olympics.
“I do think when CNN kicked off in the early 80s, it set Atlanta up for a global stage. And then Billy Payne and Andrew Young delivered on that global stage when they brought the 96 Olympics to Atlanta.
Gov. Brian Kemp told Elliot that the state of Georgia owes Turner a lot.
“What we did with Atlanta, CNN, just quite the character, quite the entrepreneur,” the governor said. “But he really did a lot for the state and for the country in a lot of ways and certainly, we’ll have his family and colleagues in our prayers.
For McKerrow, the loss of his close friend is hard, but he believes his legacy will live on.
“And maybe more people will look at peace, harmony and justice toward each other and their fellow man because of the things that he said and died,” McKerrow said.
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