Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Remembering "The Don" of voices.

It was sometime in 2006 when evangelist Jason Frenn, founder of Power to Change, was devising the means to promote his ministry. His first inclination was to create a DVD series of the messages he had preached across the globe. While compiling ideas for these multimedia venues, a television commercial caught Jason’s attention. It was one of those Geico ads where regular Geico customers tell their respective stories with the help of someone from the entertainment industry.

Jason saw the one with voiceover actor Don LaFontaine:





It was at that very moment when Jason received a word from the Lord. He was told that it would be the legendary LaFontaine, the voice of literally thousands of trailers, who would provide the promotional voiceover for his DVDs. Given that LaFontaine was such a titan in the voiceover industry, Jason was hesitant due to his ministry's rather minuscule budget. But since Jason was convinced he had heard from the Lord, he proceeded with the utmost faith. He was able to locate the promotional company for which LaFontaine worked. But after barraging them with e-mails and phone calls, there was nary a reply. Jason then turned to the publicists who represented LaFontaine but the results were the same.

Out of complete desperation, Jason went to LaFontaine’s personal web site. While there, he clicked on a link entitled “Contact Us” and sent off an e-mail of what he was looking for.

On September 1, 2006, Jason received a generic e-mail from the Don LaFontaine web site. Attached was an mp3 file with a simple note wishing Jason and his ministry well. The e-mail was simply signed “Don”.

After weeks of exhaustive research, prayers and unanswered inquiries, Jason heard from the legendary voice himself, who delivered the kind of promo which Power to Change had sought after for months.





Exactly two years after his generous contribution to Jason Frenn’s ministry, Don LaFontaine would pass away at the age of 68.

And today, exactly one year after his untimely passing, LaFontaine is still missed by all those who knew his generosity.




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