Stephen Colbert is pretty much my hero. I was ELATED to see him this morning on the Horseshoe. Now, I can barely remember what he said. His appearance today seems too trivial when I think about the seven students who died in the fire.
It’s frustrating, infuriating even, to try and deal with this kind of tragedy for anyone. It’s frustrating to hear all the rumors that can’t be confirmed. It’s frustrating to know things that aren’t being released. And most of all, it’s frustrating to deal with death that is so unexpected and so tragic and so devastating such as the fire that claimed seven Gamecocks.
I began working on the story around 1:30 this afternoon. For the most part in consisted on contacting different people—media relations types here and in Ocean Isle Beach. Sadly, it also consisted of contacting people who were friends with people who died. That’s not the kind of news anyone likes to break. No one likes to call and ask “Have you heard anything about…” or “I understand this is a difficult time for you…”
I went to high school with some of the students who died in the fire. It’s difficult to remain detached from a story like this, one that affects so many people in such a sad way. It’s difficult think things like “the cause of the fire is unknown” and “the bodies are being identified” can apply to people you knew.
Katie Jones
Staff Writer
