Earlier this week---going through the local paper--they had a story about the death of one of their reporters---a lady named Valeryn. I had known her pretty well having worked with her a few years back--I knew her simply as Val and by another last name-her married surname--in recent years she had gone back to using her "maiden name."
At that time, she was a stringer for our area's metro daily paper---and I worked for the chain of community papers--I had two towns I had to work in---two different counties.
In the one town which also had two component---a city and the township surrounding that town--we covered the same beats, the local school board, city council, the township trustees and the zoning/planning boards for each. We also covered whatever else was going on in the combined area like fires, accidents, hostage situations--whatever happened.
Like a lot of things---you might have those moments of intense activity, mostly coming after hours of tedium and boredom waiting for something to go down.
In the case of official meetings---unless there was some issue that got people pissed----once the awards for the scouts, students and such had been done---other than the members of whatever body we were covering and maybe a few employees who had things to present--she and I were the only ones in the audience----and sometimes--the meeting ran way too late. They were really exciting--let me tell ya!!!
We tried to keep ourselves occupied by telling each other jokes-maybe one of us would grab a smoke and take notes for the other---we might have worked for different papers--but we were buds of a sort.
Well--damned if the story didn't say--the past few years she has been working as a fulltime reporter for the DDN (Dayton Daily News)--she was on her way to work on Tuesday---she had some sort of "medical emergency"--pulled her call off to the side of the interstate-but didn't even get to make a call on her cell for help---not too much time passed---a Ohio State Trooper stopped and found her unresponsive and called EMS--they responded in short order, but the EMTs declared her dead on scene.
They did perform an autopsy, something that is standard in cases like this, but as of yet the reason for her death hasn't been released--but you have to assume it was heart failure.
Val was 50---her parents had passed some years back. She was divorced from her hubby--that was a topic of discussion---her marriage had not been a happy one for too long and it went too long---she left him during the time we worked together and we talked about it--as much as she cared too--I never pried---letting her tell me what she felt she needed to divulge.
She left two grown, married sons and a 15 year old daughter.
Just the day before I had read a byline story she had done and also--ironically enough---several Obits.
Ya just don't know when its your time I guess.
I can't make her funeral since I am heading out on a trip on Sunday--but did send my condolences and will make a contribution to one of the charitable organizations that was listed in her obit when I return to town-- the local chapter of the SPCA.
The thing with her death--I had not seen her since I left that paper--but there was always a chance I would cross paths with her again covering something--but now--there is no chance of that obviously.
I know that none of you knew my friend---but I just had to get this off my chest---it sure is bumming me!!!!
Thanks for reading this ramble---
Reply With Quote
Re: Bummed by death of someone I know
Re: Bummed by death of someone I know
Bookmarks