Chicago Tribune: “More Tidbits About Danny Gokey”

American Idol” had played up the fact that Danny Gokey suddenly lost his young wife last summer. Gokey has admitted he’s noticed and so has everyone else. While it’s obvious Sophia has inspired him, there is more to Danny Gokey.

Here are facts about Gokey:

–Gokey is a hugger. James Wagner, of Dr. Wagner’s Southridge Optical in Greendale, Wis., said Gokey had been coming to him for the last six years. Gokey would always say “God Bless you” and give hugs.

“When he would come into the office it was always a hug for everybody, either the frames reps or the staff, including me,” he said. “Not a lot of our patients do that.” Gokey even gave “knuckle punches” to “Idol” judges Paul Abdul, Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson at the audition when they picked him as a contestant.

–Gokey is just “Dan” to many, including his late wife Sophia. Her cousin Kim Harvey, 41, of Brookfield, Wis., said her family has always called him Dan.

–Gokey likes playing basketball and watching movies, said his friend Ruben “Papin” Burgos, 26, who also calls him “Dan.”

–Gokey is a good friend. Burgos described Gokey as his “miracle friend” who is “super fun.” “When you hang out with someone like that, it rejuvenates you,” Burgos said. “It helps you get away from your problems or forget about your stresses.”

–Gokey loves to eat. He used to work at Cousins Subs. Burgos said Gokey liked to make the “perfect sub” with lots of ingredients.

“It was an art,” Burgos said. “It was Dan, having things right, and drinking water sometimes because you don’t want your palate to be ruined by the food.”

Burgos said he enjoys cooking, and eating Puerto Rican food. (His late wife was Puerto Rican.)

–Gokey doesn’t drink or smoke, Harvey said.

–At least one blogger described Gokey as seeming cocky or jerky. But Burgos said that is not true. “He seriously, legitimately loves being around people,” Burgos said.

–Besides singing, Gokey played trumpet at one point and can play some piano, Burgos said.

–Gokey was an average student while at the 1,600 student Vincent High School in Milwaukee, but excelled in art. Bob Pluckhahn, a social studies teacher and former golf coach for 10 years, said he tried to get Gokey to try out for the golf team because his friends were on the team, but he never joined. He said Gokey was pleasant and funny, but shy.

Pluckhahn said he’s not surprised Gokey’s successful, but is surprised he’s in such a high profile position, considering his high school shyness.

“If you would had told me Danny would be a success today in almost any endeavor other than singing I could believe it,” he said.

–Gokey’s a “germaphobe,” according to his older brother Charles Gokey, who admitted he was too. “Don’t ever cough or sneeze in his car,” he said.

Original Post by the Associated Press for the Chicago Tribune