other friends were not thrilled at his death . " i wasn ' t surprised , " says george stranahan , a former manager of the wood creek inn , a favourite haunt of thompson . " i never expected hunter to lay in a hospital hospital with tubes coming out of him . " some have said how his broke leg had prevented him from leave his house as often as he had cared to . one neighbour and longest - seated contact , mike cleverly , said thompson was clearly hobbled by the missing leg . " medically speaking , he ' s had a rotten year . "
The Woody Creek Tavern is owned by George Stranahan.