INDIANAPOLIS — As Terry Hutchens wrote in his final "With The Colts" column in the Indianapolis News Sept. 15, 1995: "It's never easy to say goodbye."
And today, for many, it certainly wasn't easy to say goodbye to Terry Hutchens.
Hutchens, who covered the Indianapolis Colts for the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel and the Indianapolis News for seven seasons in the 1980s and 90s, died Friday. He was 60.
Hutchens passed away four days after he was critically injured in a car crash in Fishers, Ind., according to the Indianapolis Star.
"My thoughts and prayers are with longtime Indiana sports journalist and former Colts beat man Terry Hutchens and his family," Colts owner Jim Irsay wrote in a tweet on Tuesday.
Hutchens, an Indiana University graduate, began his career covering the Colts with the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel before moving to the same beat with the Indianapolis News. After seven seasons on the Colts beat, Hutchens began covering high school sports late in 1995.
But perhaps Hutchens will most be known for his time covering the Indiana Hoosiers basketball and football programs. He spent almost 28 years with the Indianapolis News/Indianapolis Star, and took on the IU beat for CNHI Sports Indiana, "a conglomeration of 13 newspapers and websites throughout the state," in 2016.
"A renowned sports writer, Terry was recognized with numerous awards and distinctions during his career," Hutchens’ obituary reads. "Most notably, Terry was a five-time recipient of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Indiana Sports Writer of the Year Award. Terry also wrote nine books on Indiana sports —including Rising From the Ashes: The Return of Indiana Basketball, and three children's books for the youngest IU and Purdue fans."
Hutchens is survived by his wife Susan, mother Dena, sister Kelly and two sons: Bryan and Kevin.
His family has asked those who have been impacted by Hutchens to share their memories by clicking here. Also, those who want to make a gift in Hutchens' memory can do so with donations to the Holy Spirit Geist Athletic Department and the Indiana University Media School.
