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Loss of dear friend and former colleague a heavy blow for Mike Ditka

It’s a love story, da coach Ditka style.

And a Bears story coming full circle.

During the years I’ve interviewed legendary Bears coach Mike Ditka, I have never heard him choke up.

Gruff, puff, and sometimes Trump stuff; conversation with “coach” always ends with a little Mike magic.

That is, until his friend,former Bears General Manager Jerry Vainisi — his ultimate teammate — died this past week.

“We were close, he was a great man,” said Ditka, mourning the loss of a best friend who helped him and Bears personnel director Bill Tobin cobble together the team that won the 1985 Super Bowl.