MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Dave Bristow passed away Sunday after a massive heart attack in his sleep.

Colleagues and friends remember his passion as the voice of the Manatee Hurricanes.


From the office, to a football field, Dave Bristow was much more than just a spokesperson.


Serving for over 30 years as an on-air radio host covering Manatee High School Football as part of the News Talk 930 WLSS team, the game was his passion.


“He’s a super fan of Florida Gators, he’s a super fan of Manatee Hurricanes and it was always interesting because if the Gators and Manatee won, then we had a great weekend, but if both lost we were in the dumps until the next week,” said Co-Host Eddie Mulock.


Graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in Broadcasting, Dave’s dream was to always host a football radio show. Close friend and co-host Eddie Mulock says it was that drive that made the show a success.


“Dave was a real professional. He put the show together and he wanted it to be perfect every Friday night. And it was. You know we listed out every break, for each quarter, what advertisements would be on there, what breaks for half-time, everything was on a schedule every week. You know it was always done just right,” said Mulock.


“But we always had a lot of fun and lots of laughs, we went on out of town games together, we went to several big state championship games, we went to Orlando twice, you know so we had a lot of fun at those games,” said Mulock.


As for the future of Dave’s show, friend and head of the Manatee County High School football booster club Gene Brown says it must go on.


“First thing that even his wife said Lisa was you know we’ve got the radio show Wednesday night and we’re thinking what we’re going to do, and I know what Dave would want us to do, he’d want us to be there Wednesday night because it was there and then also do the game Friday night… You know so Danny Carter, Eddie and I will be there and we’ll pick it up and continue what he basically made professional,” said Brown.


“Just remember that he was a hard worker and I mean I know the Sheriff’s office is definitely going to miss him with all of the things that he did and he was just a great person,” said Brown.


“He was always concerned when I was going through all of my surgeries, he was always concerned how I was and he would you know check on me and so forth and was always very considerate about me,” said Mulock.


“We did a lot of long car rides and a lot of talks when we were traveling around the state to football games at times and sometimes three, four, five hours and it was just fun to be the comradery of being with a good friend and with somebody, and you know definitely his family is going to miss him the most but we’re all going to miss him as a community too,” said Brown.


“We loved him, we respected him and we’ll miss him,” said Mulock.


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