Wichita photographer, friend to many on life support after sideline collision, family says

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - The Wichita sports and photography community is supporting the family of a well-known photographer and Wichitan, Linda Gregory. She was injured Monday while shooting photos at a junior varsity high school football game at Wichita Northwest High School. Gregory fell and hit her head in a sideline collision. An ambulance took her to a local hospital where, her husband, Mel, said her condition worsened.

Mel Gregory earlier Tuesday shared on Facebook that Linda was on life support, and they were waiting for family members to arrive. He thanked everyone for their support and said when Linda was injured, she was doing what she loved. Tuesday night, Mel shared an update that Linda remained on life support and isn’t expected to survive.

“There is little hope left for her but she ight live on in the bodies of others,” Mel wrote. “Linda has been my soulmate, my bestest in everything and she will go as she would like to have gone.”

In her years dedicating time to sports photography, Linda formed close-knit friendships with coaches, players and parents in the League 42 youth baseball league, as well as at Northwest High School.

Among those she impacted was Joanna Chadwick, a longtime journalist and teacher who’s dedicated much of her career to covering high school sports and whose husband used to coach at Northwest.

“I never knew I needed her. I have a mom, I have a mother-in-law, they’re amazing people. I never knew I needed Linda Gregory, and I don’t think I was the only one that did,” Chadwick said.

Chadwick discussed how effectively Linda told stories through the lens of her camera. She said Linda and Mel started taking photos for League 42 when the league began 10 years ago.

At Northwest High School, the couple never missed a game.

“When she came up to Northwest, I mean, they were at every game: home, away, they were there,” Chadwick said. “If they were sick, by God, they were going to be there for at least the first half.”

Chadwick recalled how a follow on Twitter and a chance meeting at a store led to a cherished friendship.

“That spawned the friendship and suddenly they became part of the family,” she said of Mel and Linda Gregory.

It’s a bond that many share with the couple.

“You know, you think about how a friendship can happen like that and you think about, ‘Linda and Mel love me, they love my family,’” Chadwick said. “But it wasn’t just us.”

For those that don’t know Linda Gregory…

“I can’t even explain it enough to people that didn’t know here, how many people she touched,” Chadwick said.

It’s those people, the community, that are supporting Linda and her family.

“Whether she took their child’s senior portraits or she showed up to their son’s t-ball game, she just loves the community and she loves people,” Chadwick said.