We're here all the time, covering the good and the bad. And I may be incredibly naive, but I'd like to think our newspaper and the area it covers is still small-town enough to cultivate compassion. Having said all that, I'd be lying if I didn't admit there's a certain challenge to pursuing a story. And a certain high that comes once you get it. It's the same kind of motivation that drives any kind of salesman, negotiator or even an insurance agent.
Persistence makes a difference.
Those who keep calling are more likely to turn up nuggets of information than those who give up after the first call. And having said all that, I don't know what I'd do if I were the family member of someone who had been hurt. I can't honestly say. From the vantage point I know best, I can say there have been times when relatives really wanted to talk. Sharing memories of their loved one seemed to help.