By Ken Lass
I don’t know Joe Cochran. I’ve never met him nor spoken to him. But I know about him. And you should too.
I know that he and his wife June moved to Pinson in the early 1990’s. Being a big sports fan, he immediately took an interest in getting involved with the athletic teams at the high school. I know that he volunteered to serve as the public address voice of Pinson Valley’s football team and girls softball team for around fifteen years. He also called some of the Indians’ baseball and basketball games. In fact, he became so much a part of the fabric of Pinson Valley athletics, the school talked him into coaching the softball team at one point. Joe served as president of the education foundation board and worked tirelessly to raise money for the school system and athletic programs.
I know that, shortly after Pinson was incorporated into its own city in 2004, Joe was elected to the city council. Served on it for twelve years. Looking to elevate his level of involvement still further, he ran for mayor, but lost to incumbent Hoyt Sanders. Never one to accept defeat, Joe ran again in 2020, and this time, he won. For the last four years he has been a driving force in promoting the city, encouraging commercial development, improving police and fire protection, and of course, building up the school system.
There’s something else you should know about Joe. He has accomplished all this despite being diagnosed with ALS in 2021. The acronym stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. You may know the condition by its nickname, Lou Gehrig’s disease, named after the famous baseball player who lost his battle against it in 1941. It’s a nervous system disorder that weakens muscles and physical function, ultimately affecting a person’s motor nerves. Gradually, simple things such as walking, eating, speaking, and even breathing become a challenge. A person can live with it for years, or it can take you quickly, but there is no cure.
It has not stopped Joe Cochran. I don’t know him, but I know he is still hard at work as Pinson’s full-time mayor, conducting business while wearing an oxygen mask and connected to a mechanical translator. You’ll find him at the city council meetings on the first and third Thursday of each month, his computer screen in front of him. Now finding it difficult to speak, Joe will type what he wants to say, and an electronic voice will speak his words. No matter. He’s still pushing hard to promote his town. In June Pinson will celebrate its twentieth birthday as a city. At a recent council gathering, Joe strongly advocated in favor of an elaborate twelve minute, fifteen-thousand-dollar fireworks show for the CityFest celebration. “Go big or go home” he told the council.
Going big has characterized Joe’s life as a public servant. And it has not been lost on the minds and hearts of the fine folks of Pinson Valley. They have rallied around him with numerous displays of love and support. Not long after his diagnosis, he and his family attended the school’s homecoming football game against Huffman. The community surprised him by unveiling a new title for the stadium media quarters. In large white letters, set against a garnet background, the title read “Joe Cochran Press Box”. Typically humble, Joe told the Trussville Tribune “I had no clue. No clue whatsoever. It’s just overwhelming. It’s more than I deserve.”
No, it’s not.
I don’t know Joe, but I know that In March all former players from the Indians’ softball teams were invited to take part in a charity alumni game named after him. The public was invited, with all donations going toward ALS research and treatment. Joe, of course, was there. There’s a photo of him on his Facebook page, seated in his chair, white blanket covering his legs to keep warm, smiling through his mask, and surrounded by adoring former players. You see, along with all of his city responsibilities, Joe has also been an active supporter of Alabama’s chapter of the ALS association, which provides many services and treatment guidance for those dealing with the disease.
“You take stock of your life, and you look back and say, ‘What have I done?’ and ‘Have I done it well,” Joe told the Tribune in 2022. “I know now my time is more limited. To be honest, I’ve looked at my life, and it couldn’t be any better. I couldn’t ask for more goodness or better friends and family. I have a wonderful wife and daughter. It’s been just one absolutely magnificent life.”
I don’t know Joe Cochran. But I wish I did. I wish everybody did.