Crime & Safety

Family: Adam McCloud's 'Fight is Over'

Adam McCloud will be taken off of life support today after being hospitalized with serious brain trauma stemming from a fight last week at a bar in downtown Stillwater. Criminal charges have not yet been filed in the case.

The 29-year-old Stillwater man involved in a fight at a downtown bar last week will be taken off of life support today, acording to his family members.

"Our hearts are broken," Adam McCloud's brother-in-law, Larry Odebrecht, told Stillwater Patch Thursday afternoon. "Adam was a huge part of our lives."

“The candle vigil that we had for Adam has touched our family,” Odebrecht wrote on Adam McCloud’s Caring Bridge site this morning. “Thank you for that gift. It's a fitting honorarium for a light that has burned as brightly as Adam. Sadly, the doctors have made it clear that his fight is over and that soon that light will be extinguished.”

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McCloud was hospitalized last week after an assault at Smalley’s Caribbean Barbeque and Pirate Bar.

Police arrested Eric Richards on Monday on suspicion of first-degree assault charges as a result of the incident. He remains in the Washington County Jail.

Find out what's happening in Stillwaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

No charges have been filed.

The Washington County Attorney’s Office has until Friday at noon to make a charging decision about Richards.

"An act of violence has caused so much pain and agony, and we truly, truly, truly hope people learn from this," Odebrecht said. "People get in bar fights every day. We hope people learn from this and think before acting out in violence."

Funeral services for McCloud are tentatively being scheduled for next week, Odebrecht said. Arrangements will be handled by Bradshaw Funeral Home, services will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran of Bayport.

A fund to make donations in McCloud's name has been set up at First State Bank and Trust in Bayport. For information, call 651-439-5195.

"The idea behind the fund," Odebrecht said, "is to help our family do some good in Adam's name."

Odebrecht’s post on McCloud’s CaringBridge page goes on to state:

“I was struck last night that Adam was such a strong man but also kept some of the great things about being a boy. He never stopped loving playing in dirt, and built a company around his passion - leading his friends and his family along the way. We've also been struck by Adam's willingness to believe audacious things about people. So many people have told us about his faith in them - faith that no others had in them - that has made all the difference in their lives.

We've all been so blessed by Adam's BIG presence in our lives. We will communicate via this site the time and place of a service where we can all be together to grieve. We expect it will be early next week.

A fund to help the McCloud family with legal expenses and donations in his name has been set up at First State Bank and Trust in Bayport. For information, call 651-439-5195.

The family would like to thank Doctor Michael Kang and the staff of Regions Hospital for the care of Adam and us; for Sgt Stender of the Stillwater Police Department (Stillwater residents can sleep well at night with a warrior like him standing sentry); Kelly Thaulwald and the staff at First State Bank, the staff of LifeSource; Pastor Rich of Bethlehem Lutheran of Bayport; and the pastors and staff of Eagle Brook Church (including Alyssa Mack, Tommy Tunes, and Sara Wade).

Tara and I would like to thank our employer (Digineer, Inc) and the staff of our clients for the comfort and room to grieve and take care of our family. Shelly would like to thank her employer (Stillwater Medical Group and Courage Center) for the support and the care.

Adam's employer (Acapulco Restaurant) and the Leon family has been wonderful. We know you share our loss. Thank you for your support.

For legal reasons, I can't (and won't) comment on the pending investigation and trial. We have enough tragedy in our lives right now and nothing I can say can change the horrible chain of events that took Adam from us.”


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