Tim Cullen Dies Suddenly
Posted by: Loren Coleman on August 24th, 2008
Tim Cullen, right, meets John Green.
In the midst of a week when many people were talking about the possible discovery of an unknown hairy hominoid, it might be easy to have missed the news that the Bigfoot community lost a good friend. Therefore, we pause to share word and our sadness at the passing of Tim Cullen, 43, who died suddenly of a heart attack ten days ago, the day before “Bigfoot Friday,” in Panama City, Florida.
Cullen (born December 12, 1964 – died August 14, 2008) was known as “Fishbone” on the Bigfootforums, and recognized for his sense of humor and love of life.
Professionally, he was a commercial property appraiser, and was social and generous in his many interactions in his community.
Melissa Hovey, who interviewed Cullen for her blog in 2006, wrote: “Tim is incredibly funny, and very smart. When I first became a member of the Bigfootforums I saw his name, and realized, after a few of his posts, I would pay close attention to what he says. I like people who can discuss issues and debate topics, and still have a sense of humor, and that is Tim.”
Hovey found Cullen to be a very good Bigfoot researcher, who was a “good, honest man” and one she was “very glad” to have known.
Cullen who says, in his interview with Hovey two years ago, that he was “married to my best buddy, and the proud father of a wonderful seventeen-year-old daughter.”
Cullen goes on to note: “I was born and raised here in the Florida panhandle and for the past twenty-three years I’ve been living back here in my hometown of Panama City. Since 1985, I’ve been employed with the County Property Appraiser’s Office, which ironically has proven to be beneficial regarding my research.”
Tim Cullen would mention that he “had been interested in these creatures from the time I was old enough to read. I used to eat up every single news report, book, or even tabloid article I could get my hands on. I guess you could say that as a child, Bigfoot was my Frankenstein. As an adult, I’ve been actively involved in this research for about the past five years.”
Tim Cullen was “a proud member of the Alliance of Independent Bigfoot Researchers,” he told Hovey during her interview. He also had been a moderator on the Bigfoot Forums, and a BFRO Curator.
Asked how he first got involved in his most recent period of rekindled Bigfoot research, Cullen told Hovey: “I responded to a post by Linda Jacobson, an investigator with the BFRO, on the now-defunct Florida Skunk Ape Forum. Linda had asked if there was anyone in the south Florida area interested in doing some field research. I replied to her and told her that while I couldn’t really help out with south Florida, being up here in the Panhandle, I’d still be interested in doing whatever I could to help. She then put me in touch with a curator in the BFRO who was located in southern Alabama and after a bit of communication with him, I was accepted into the BFRO. Unfortunately, the mission of the BFRO ultimately changed…, and I eventually left the organization.”
My sympathy goes out to Tim’s wife, Jordan and the rest of Tim’s family. And to all of Fishbone’s many friends still in the BFRO and on the BFF. Florida has lost a dedicated Bigfoot researcher.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
I’m so very sorry & sad to hear that our friend & Sasquatch researcher Tim Cullens passed away. He is in Heaven now. 🙁
Tim was a good man and a great friend. I miss him terribly.
My Sympathies to his family.
RIP, Mr. Cullen.
My thoughts, condolences and prayers to the Cullen family…
Life is precious…treasure it…RIP…Fishbone…JMHO
live and let live…
Steve Summar, Sheba and Rocky